Category — Photos

Meet Cinder, Thatcher, and Magnolia – our three little pigs. Domestic pigs bred for their small size, they are mini Juliana pigs and will only grow up to about 50 lbs. Thatcher is the spotted male with the blue harness. Magnolia is the spotted female with the purple harness. Cinder is a reddish-brown male.

Thatcher and Magnolia

The pigs live in the Children’s Zoo and can be seen walking around the park with their trainers. At just about 10 weeks old, they are still learning what it’s all about. I’m lucky enough to be on Cinder’s training team.

Giving Cinder a good scratch on the rump

This morning we took them for an early morning walk before it got too hot. We stopped to play on the central lawn where the pigs discovered a sprinkler.

Magnolia and Thatcher get a drink from the sprinkler.

Pigs are social by nature. They are curious, intelligent, and easy to train.

Here Eunice is cueing Magnolia to sit. She is rewarded with grain pellets.

Thatcher and Magnolia will soon be showing off their skills in the Barnyard Bonanza show, and Cinder will be out and about meeting and greeting guests. Keep an eye out for them next time you’re at the Zoo!

Just six more days until Cat Canyon opens! Zoo Members will get a sneak preview on Members Night this Friday. The exhibit is looking great, and the cats have been out exploring their new yards. Now that the structures are in place and the landscaping is pretty much finished, Graphics has begun installing the signage. We’re also finalizing the soundtrack and tweaking the sound levels. Listen for tiger roars, tokay gecko calls, and gibbon songs.

Kingdom Productions did an amazing job creating a life-size tiger relief sculpture for the Cat Canyon exhibit. Below are some pictures of the installation.

All wrapped up and ready to go to the Zoo

Transporting the sculpture into the Cat Canyon area

Installed!

Next, Horticulture will move in and pretty up the space with plants so it looks as if the tiger is peeking out from the vegetation. Come by the exhibit when it opens later this month to get the full effect.