Tortoise Walk and Sheep Shearing
May 24th, 2008
Walk Starts At 10:00 am
Al and Tootie, the NEW Zoo’s wonderful tortoise couple, are getting ready to make their famous Tortoise Walk back to their summer exhibit outdoors. This is an annual event where the Zoo’s two 26-year old Aldabra Tortoises move from their winter facility to their summer home in the Children’s Zoo area. The event is quite an undertaking in light of the fact that Tootie, the female Aldabra, weighs in at about 250 pounds, and Al, the male, tops the scales at a whopping 370 pounds!
Come and encourage our two giants on as they hit the road on a journey which usually takes approximately 45 minutes. The fun will begin at the Children’s Zoo Barn and will culminate at the tortoise exhibit which is located at the entrance to Children’s Zoo area.
The tortoises are one of only a few animals that will see many generations of visitors over their lifetime. Currently, the Zoo is fundraising for a new Adlabra Tortoise Exhibit entitled “Land of the Giants” which will be of unprecedented exhibit design.
The excitement doesn’t end there either! Stick around the Children’s Zoo area as, at 11:00am, the annual sheep shearing will begin-complete with interpretive programming this year. Watch as the sheep get a much needed haircut and learn about this intriguing process.
