Prairie Butterfly House opens at Forestry Farm

By Halyna Mihalik

Children gathered in awe, running after the butterflies flitting through the air at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm as the zoo’s Prairie Butterfly House opened to the public Monday.

“It’s about 150 feet long. It has over 20 species of butterflies flying around right now,” said zoo manager Jeff Mitchell.

“You get a chance to really immerse yourself in with the animals.”

Visiting the exhibit will be a different experience each time, Mitchell explained, as new butterflies will be arriving throughout the season. He said visiting the butterfly house can be an educational experience for children and adults alike.

“You get a chance to see the pupae, how they hatch, and just really enjoy the nature of the world,” said Mitchell.

The zoo had a butterfly exhibit several years ago, but Mitchell said it has been closed down for quite some time.

The Prairie Butterfly House has been in the works for more than four years, Mitchell explained, and is finally open to the public. Although the insects can fly freely throughout the butterfly house, guests aren’t allowed to touch them or pick them up unless they land on a visitor on their own.

“We’re really excited to be able to open it up and show off this brand-new, world-class exhibit,” said Mitchell.

Another exhibit was opened at the same time on Monday. Ring-tailed lemurs are now a part of the Forestry Farm as well.

The Forestry Farm will host its annual Zoo Gala on Friday, and Mitchell said the event will include a formal announcement of the upcoming small mammal house.