pandas : ToronTo Zoo ; bird : daniTa delimonT / alamy |
WiLd TimES
From China with Love Starting in May , Cowtown will welcome a different kind of emblematic animal , as four giant pandas take up residence at the Calgary Zoo . The zoo ’ s $ 14.5-million Panda Passage habitat is symbolic of friendly Canada- China relations , offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Albertans to see these icons of the global conservation movement in person . Two cuddly cubs , Jia Panpan and Jia Yueyue , are the big draw for 2018 . But don ’ t wait to see them ; they ’ ll be repatriated to China next year while the zookeepers in Calgary focus on helping the cubs ’ mother , Er Shun , conceive another baby panda or two . calgaryzoo . com
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For the Birds It ’ s the perfect time to celebrate a seasonal resident of Camrose . The purple martin — North America ’ s largest swallow — flies thousands of kilometres back home after wintering in the Amazon basin . For the flocks that reach central Alberta , more than 100 specially designed birdhouses await , as does a fête just for the feathered friends . At the annual Camrose Purple Martin Festival , take a tour of the town ’ s nest boxes to learn how the abodes helped to counteract the species ’ decline ,
A male purple martin
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and how you too can become a martin landlord . Fun activities for kids , naturalist talks and , of course , lots of bird watching , round out the festivities . Afterward , check out local attractions like the circa-1911 Camrose Railway Museum & Park , or take your clubs to one of the dozen golf courses within a half-hour ’ s drive from town . June 16 ; facebook . com / CamrosePurpleMartin Festival
Feline Greetings Family adventures await at Innisfail ’ s Discovery Wildlife Park , home to orphaned wildlife , former exotic pets and animals from other zoos . Guided by the belief that conservation begins
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with education , the park offers daily animal presentations , evening experiences for guests of its new campground , and adventure packages by advance reservation . Walk with black wolves Nisa and Lupe , or go behind the scenes with cats like tigress Sheera , lions Griffen and Zendaya , and jaguar twins Magnum and Mia . Ask about Mia ’ s recent procedure to alleviate arthritis , which involved a cutting-edge treatment usually reserved for humans . discoverywildlifepark . com
ARTS & CULTURE
How Blue Can You Get ? Marking its 20th year , the Edmonton Blues Festival is an intimate celebration of sizzling licks and rootsy soul , with performances that
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