Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien
Encyclopedia
The Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien (English
:Wild Zoo of St-Félicien) is one of the largest zoos in the province of Quebec
. Located in Saint-Félicien
, the Zoo is dedicated to wildlife conservation of the boreal climate and is managed by The Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity inc.
The Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien is an accredited member of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(CAZA).
The zoo was founded in 1960 through the initiative of Ghislain Gagnon and six others who opened it on an abandoned fox farm lent to them by Haldaige Laflamme. The zoo was set up as a traditional zoo that showcased exotic and North American
animal
s.
On January 4, 1961, the Fondation de la Société zoologique de St-Félicien inc (English
: St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation inc.) was registered as a non-profit society. One moth later the foundation purchased Île-aux-Bernard and 24 acres (9.7 ha) of land from Paul E. Gagnon for $12,000, no interest, and payments of only $500 per year.
By 1968 the zoo owned more than 44 acres (17.8 ha), and was home to 450 animals of 91 species. By this time, the zoo also included a restaurant, a kitchen, and a souvenir shop. Additional land was purchased in 1969, bringing the zoos holdings up to 200 acres (80.9 ha). Ghislain Gagnon began wondering if there was a better way to keep animals other than in cages, which resulted in the zoo being completely rethought.
Nature Park Trails
The zoo opened its Nature Park Trails on September 10, 1972. The "new zoo" covered about 74 acres (29.9 ha) and included a screened-in "train" with about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of roadway, from which visitors could observe animals that are native to Quebec
, freeing the animals to larger enclosures and putting the visitors in the cages. An additional 4 square kilometres (988.4 acre) of land was purchased in 1974, and work began on expanding the Nature Park Trails. The expansion of the Nature Park Trails officially opened in 1978, with a new lake (Lac Montagnais) having been dug and Mount Keewatinook erected. There were now 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of roadway in the Nature Park Trails, as well as reproductions of historic sites including the Colonist Farm, the Lumberjack Camp, the Trading Post, the Indian Campground, the Grand Trestle, and the Western Ranch.
The St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation
In the early eighties, the zoo was financially strong and received over 300,000 visitors to its park. It became obvious through visitor comments that the demand for more educational focus at the zoo was growing, and the zoo came up with a Zoo of the Year 2000 plan, and the St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation (French
: Fondation de la Société zoologique de St-Félicien) was created in 1981 to help implement such a transformation. In 1985, work began to create habitats adapted to each animals way of life and to remove the animals from their cages. In order to house carnivores such as their big cats, three large 24 by paddocks were built. In addition, the chimpanzee
habitat was constructed so the animals were contained only by a fence surrounding the water basin, in order to keep people out. The zoo also constructed new homes for giraffes, elephants, and hippotamus with walls and ditches replacing cages to separate visitors from the large animals.
In 1986, a work conflict caused a zoo lockout for three months and threatened to close the zoo. A re-launching committee was formed by Benoit Laprise, the mayor
of St-Félicien, and in early 1987 was able to raise $1,300,000 to save the zoo from closure. The committee received help from numerous employees, citizens, municipalities, corporations, and governments. That same year, the zoo made organizational changes both at the employee and administrative levels, and the St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation created their new mission statement with a focus on education
, research
, natural
, and cultural patrimony, which was part of the Zoo of the Year 2000 plan. In the next two years, the zoo won many regional awards and changed its name to the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien in 1989, to reflect its new focus.
In the 1990's, the Wild Zoo won first prize in the Quebec Tourism Regional Awards and was awarded the National Grand Prize under the category ‘Touristic Promotion,’ although, the Wild Zoo would go through numerous changes during the early nineties. Ghislan Gagnon, the zoo's original founder retired on December 31, 1992, leaving Martin Laforge to manage manage the zoo. In September 1993 the Wild Zoo solved its problem with wastewater discharging into the rivière-aux-saumons. The Wild Zoo would use artificial swamps to treat the wastewater that came from the zoo and the campground before it entered into the rivière-aux-saumons. This ecological project was one of the first steps in sustainable development of the zoo. In order to finance the project, the zoo received subsidies, but needed to sell the campground to cover its portion of the cost.
The focus on Nordic animals
During the same year, a committee was created to decide whether or not the Wild Zoo should abandon its exotic animal collection. The idea to make the decision came from considerations that the Wild Zoo needed its own niche to attract clients believing that visitors seeing exotic animals in other institutions needed to have an interest to come back to the Wild Zoo for its unique and specific style. Lastly, the Wild Zoo committee also believed that they were contradicting themselves between the traditional/exotic zoo (animals in cages) and the Nature Park Trails where free indigenous fauna roamed free.
The committee decided that only a huge investment would be used to restructure the traditional part of the Wild Zoo and insure its survival, as well, to make it stand out from other zoos. Through this conclusion the committee decided to remove its exotic animal collection in 1993, and shifted its focus towards animals that live in Nordic
environments. Through this decision, the Wild Zoo's finances were healthier due to the loss of exotic animal species that were more costly to maintain due to their nature and different environments they are accustomed to.
In the following years, major renovations began that included the Île-aux-Bernard (1995), the Valley Sector (1996), and the new polar bear habitat (1997), while new constructions such as the Great Aviary, the Kids Garden, the Ghislan Gagnon Interpretation Centre were being added. Buildings that were no longer needed were turned into veterinary clinics in order to meet Quebec government and Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) standards. Through these changes, the Wild Zoo animal cohabitation was no longer restricted to the Nature Park Trails and visitors could see animals roaming freely everywhere on the site when the Wild Zoo reopened its doors in the 1997 winter season, being accessible for all four seasons, which for most Canadian zoos is impossible to do. Through these changes and innovations the Wild Zoo led the way as being a model for other Zoological Parks in Quebec and followed through with Gagnon's original vision.
The Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity
In May 2001, the Wild Zoo decided to broaden its mission statement by modifying its focus again and became the Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity (French
: La Fondation du Centre de conservation de la biodiversité boréale (CCBB)).
The new CCBB wanted to increase the benefits of its organization on a local, regional and international level by following the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity
that was adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro
. Through this change and model, the Wild Zoo shifted its efforts from Nordic towards protecting the biodiversity of the boreal forests through preservation, education, and research.
Shortly, Phase I of the plan commenced with the construction of the Borealium, which is a Visitors' Centre, in addition, to being a research, documenation, and education facility. In recent years, the Wild Zoo built new exhibits and eventually re-introduced exotic animal species to its collection that lived in the boreal environments of Asia
. In 2010, the Wild Zoo introduced exotic species that live in the boreal environments of Mongolia
through the remodeling of an island and opened the Mongolian habitat. At the same time, a family area with water games, and a small farm was also built.
Polar Bear Cubs
On December 4 2009, the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien female Polar Bear
, Aisaqvaq gave birth to two polar bear cubs, which is the first time that a Canadian zoo experienced the birth of twin polar bears. The polar bear cubs at first were only viewed from a hidden camera inside the den and eventually at three months old wandered outside with their mom away from public viewing. When the cubs were six months old, they made their first public appearance at the Wild Zoo in June 2010.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
:Wild Zoo of St-Félicien) is one of the largest zoos in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Located in Saint-Félicien
Saint-Félicien, Quebec
Saint-Félicien is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. The town is located within the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Its population as of 2006 is 10,477.-Geography:...
, the Zoo is dedicated to wildlife conservation of the boreal climate and is managed by The Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity inc.
The Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien is an accredited member of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums
-External links:*...
(CAZA).
History
The original zooThe zoo was founded in 1960 through the initiative of Ghislain Gagnon and six others who opened it on an abandoned fox farm lent to them by Haldaige Laflamme. The zoo was set up as a traditional zoo that showcased exotic and North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s.
On January 4, 1961, the Fondation de la Société zoologique de St-Félicien inc (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation inc.) was registered as a non-profit society. One moth later the foundation purchased Île-aux-Bernard and 24 acres (9.7 ha) of land from Paul E. Gagnon for $12,000, no interest, and payments of only $500 per year.
By 1968 the zoo owned more than 44 acres (17.8 ha), and was home to 450 animals of 91 species. By this time, the zoo also included a restaurant, a kitchen, and a souvenir shop. Additional land was purchased in 1969, bringing the zoos holdings up to 200 acres (80.9 ha). Ghislain Gagnon began wondering if there was a better way to keep animals other than in cages, which resulted in the zoo being completely rethought.
Nature Park Trails
The zoo opened its Nature Park Trails on September 10, 1972. The "new zoo" covered about 74 acres (29.9 ha) and included a screened-in "train" with about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of roadway, from which visitors could observe animals that are native to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, freeing the animals to larger enclosures and putting the visitors in the cages. An additional 4 square kilometres (988.4 acre) of land was purchased in 1974, and work began on expanding the Nature Park Trails. The expansion of the Nature Park Trails officially opened in 1978, with a new lake (Lac Montagnais) having been dug and Mount Keewatinook erected. There were now 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of roadway in the Nature Park Trails, as well as reproductions of historic sites including the Colonist Farm, the Lumberjack Camp, the Trading Post, the Indian Campground, the Grand Trestle, and the Western Ranch.
The St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation
In the early eighties, the zoo was financially strong and received over 300,000 visitors to its park. It became obvious through visitor comments that the demand for more educational focus at the zoo was growing, and the zoo came up with a Zoo of the Year 2000 plan, and the St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Fondation de la Société zoologique de St-Félicien) was created in 1981 to help implement such a transformation. In 1985, work began to create habitats adapted to each animals way of life and to remove the animals from their cages. In order to house carnivores such as their big cats, three large 24 by paddocks were built. In addition, the chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
habitat was constructed so the animals were contained only by a fence surrounding the water basin, in order to keep people out. The zoo also constructed new homes for giraffes, elephants, and hippotamus with walls and ditches replacing cages to separate visitors from the large animals.
In 1986, a work conflict caused a zoo lockout for three months and threatened to close the zoo. A re-launching committee was formed by Benoit Laprise, the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of St-Félicien, and in early 1987 was able to raise $1,300,000 to save the zoo from closure. The committee received help from numerous employees, citizens, municipalities, corporations, and governments. That same year, the zoo made organizational changes both at the employee and administrative levels, and the St-Félicien Zoological Society Foundation created their new mission statement with a focus on education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, natural
Natural
Natural is an adjective that refers to Nature.Natural may refer too:In science and mathematics:* Natural transformation, category theory in mathematics* Natural foods...
, and cultural patrimony, which was part of the Zoo of the Year 2000 plan. In the next two years, the zoo won many regional awards and changed its name to the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien in 1989, to reflect its new focus.
In the 1990's, the Wild Zoo won first prize in the Quebec Tourism Regional Awards and was awarded the National Grand Prize under the category ‘Touristic Promotion,’ although, the Wild Zoo would go through numerous changes during the early nineties. Ghislan Gagnon, the zoo's original founder retired on December 31, 1992, leaving Martin Laforge to manage manage the zoo. In September 1993 the Wild Zoo solved its problem with wastewater discharging into the rivière-aux-saumons. The Wild Zoo would use artificial swamps to treat the wastewater that came from the zoo and the campground before it entered into the rivière-aux-saumons. This ecological project was one of the first steps in sustainable development of the zoo. In order to finance the project, the zoo received subsidies, but needed to sell the campground to cover its portion of the cost.
The focus on Nordic animals
During the same year, a committee was created to decide whether or not the Wild Zoo should abandon its exotic animal collection. The idea to make the decision came from considerations that the Wild Zoo needed its own niche to attract clients believing that visitors seeing exotic animals in other institutions needed to have an interest to come back to the Wild Zoo for its unique and specific style. Lastly, the Wild Zoo committee also believed that they were contradicting themselves between the traditional/exotic zoo (animals in cages) and the Nature Park Trails where free indigenous fauna roamed free.
The committee decided that only a huge investment would be used to restructure the traditional part of the Wild Zoo and insure its survival, as well, to make it stand out from other zoos. Through this conclusion the committee decided to remove its exotic animal collection in 1993, and shifted its focus towards animals that live in Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
environments. Through this decision, the Wild Zoo's finances were healthier due to the loss of exotic animal species that were more costly to maintain due to their nature and different environments they are accustomed to.
In the following years, major renovations began that included the Île-aux-Bernard (1995), the Valley Sector (1996), and the new polar bear habitat (1997), while new constructions such as the Great Aviary, the Kids Garden, the Ghislan Gagnon Interpretation Centre were being added. Buildings that were no longer needed were turned into veterinary clinics in order to meet Quebec government and Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) standards. Through these changes, the Wild Zoo animal cohabitation was no longer restricted to the Nature Park Trails and visitors could see animals roaming freely everywhere on the site when the Wild Zoo reopened its doors in the 1997 winter season, being accessible for all four seasons, which for most Canadian zoos is impossible to do. Through these changes and innovations the Wild Zoo led the way as being a model for other Zoological Parks in Quebec and followed through with Gagnon's original vision.
The Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity
In May 2001, the Wild Zoo decided to broaden its mission statement by modifying its focus again and became the Centre for Conservation of Boreal Biodiversity (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: La Fondation du Centre de conservation de la biodiversité boréale (CCBB)).
The new CCBB wanted to increase the benefits of its organization on a local, regional and international level by following the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Convention on Biological Diversity
Convention on Biological Diversity
The Convention on Biological Diversity , known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is an international legally binding treaty...
that was adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. Through this change and model, the Wild Zoo shifted its efforts from Nordic towards protecting the biodiversity of the boreal forests through preservation, education, and research.
Shortly, Phase I of the plan commenced with the construction of the Borealium, which is a Visitors' Centre, in addition, to being a research, documenation, and education facility. In recent years, the Wild Zoo built new exhibits and eventually re-introduced exotic animal species to its collection that lived in the boreal environments of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. In 2010, the Wild Zoo introduced exotic species that live in the boreal environments of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
through the remodeling of an island and opened the Mongolian habitat. At the same time, a family area with water games, and a small farm was also built.
Polar Bear Cubs
On December 4 2009, the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien female Polar Bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, Aisaqvaq gave birth to two polar bear cubs, which is the first time that a Canadian zoo experienced the birth of twin polar bears. The polar bear cubs at first were only viewed from a hidden camera inside the den and eventually at three months old wandered outside with their mom away from public viewing. When the cubs were six months old, they made their first public appearance at the Wild Zoo in June 2010.
Exhibits
- Arctic - The most popular exhibit at the Wild Zoo where visitors have an underwater view of Polar Bears.
- Mixed Forest - Showcases different species from various forest and ocean environments. Visitors will be able to see Harbor SealHarbor SealThe harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
s, River Otters, RaccoonRaccoonProcyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s, PorcupineNorth American PorcupineThe North American Porcupine , also known as Canadian Porcupine or Common Porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. The Beaver is the only rodent larger than the North American Porcupine found in North America...
s, Bald EagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, Great Blue HeronGreat Blue HeronThe Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s, and WolverineWolverineThe wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s. - Mountain - This exhibit contains North American wildlife that would roam the mountain landscapes. Visitors can see numerous predators such as the Cougar, the BobcatBobcatThe bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, the Canadian Lynx, the CoyoteCoyoteThe coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, and the Grizzly BearGrizzly BearThe grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
.
- Nature Trail Park - The first area at the zoo to have a free roaming area for animals, visitors can observe these animals while riding inside a train with caged bars and observe large mammals such as the American BisonAmerican BisonThe American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
, the MooseMooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, the Northern ElkElkThe Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, the Woodland Caribou, the Musk OxMusk OxThe muskox is an Arctic mammal of the family Bovidae, noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor emitted by males, from which its name derives. This musky odor is used to attract females during mating season...
, and the Black BearAmerican black bearThe American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
. - Land of the Caribou - Visitors can observe the Caribou from Lac Montagnais while paddling on their canoes.
- Asia - Animals in this exhibit are exotic species that live in Asian boreal environments. Visitors can observe the Amur TigerAmur TigerThe Siberian tiger , also known as the Amur tiger, is a tiger subspecies inhabiting mainly the Sikhote Alin mountain region with a small subpopulation in southwest Primorye province in the Russian Far East. In 2005, there were 331–393 adult-subadult Amur tigers in this region, with a breeding adult...
s and the Japanese Macaques. - Mongolia - Opened in 2010, this exhibit contains wildlife from MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, which includes species such as the Bactrian CamelBactrian camelThe Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
, the Siberian IbexSiberian IbexThe Siberian Ibex or Common ibex is a species of ibex that lives in central and northern Asia. It has traditionally been treated as a subspecies of the Alpine Ibex, and whether it is specifically distinct from other ibex is still not entirely clear...
, the Przewalski's HorsePrzewalski's HorsePrzewalski's Horse or Dzungarian Horse, is a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of central Asia, specifically China and Mongolia.At one time extinct in the wild, it has been reintroduced to its native habitat in Mongolia at the Khustain Nuruu...
, and the YakYakThe yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
. - Mini Farm - A petting zoo where children can play, pet, and view various farm animals.