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Five new animals have made their home at the Assiniboine Park Zoo this week.
On Thursday, a new pack of five grey wolves came from the Greater Vancouver Zoo after the passing of Bear, in March, who was the last member of the Zoo's original wolf pack.
The new wolves include a seven-year-old male, Chinook. Gigi, a seven-year-old female. Comet, a three-year-old male. Stella and Virgo, both three-year-old females. They are all adjusting and settling into the expansive wolf habitat in the Grasslands and Boreal Forest section of the Zoo.
“Grey wolves are an iconic Canadian species that can be found across the country, including right here in Manitoba,” said Dr. Chris Enright, Senior Director of Zoological Operations, Assiniboine Park Zoo said in a news release. “Unfortunately, fear and misunderstanding have led to instances of human-wolf conflict and, in some cases, over-hunting. Educating people about the critical role keystone species like wolves play in their ecosystems and why they should be protected is an important part of what we do here at the Zoo.”
The addition of the grey wolves is the latest to come to the Zoo since fall 2024. The list includes:
- Red pandas Suva, Mei Mei, and Kelly,
- A pair of red-crowned cranes named Queso and Salsa,
- Julia the great horned owl,
- A pair of guanacos named Cob and Peaches,
- Fifi the scarlet ibis,
- Four marbled teals named Cheddar, Cake, Wagyu, and Slab,
- Louise the domestic yak, Emeraude the muskox,
- Ring-tailed lemurs Rusty, Ruby, Lily, and Lasonia,
- Shire draft horses Willow and Willy,
- Ozzy the Siberian musk deer,
- Simon the sulphur-crested cockatoo, plus
- Two-toed sloths, a bearded dragon, hedgehog, and other captivating creatures in the seasonal Survival of the Slowest exhibit (on now until September 1).
The Zoo is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.