Zebras officially settle in at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm, new barn in works

Five zebras — Marty, Missy, Shadow, Koffee and Leeloo — are settling into their permanent home at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park and Zoo as a new barn is being built for them.

The zebras arrived at the zoo in June as part of an investigation through Saskatchewan’s Captive Wildlife Regulations.

Zoo manager Jeff Mitchell said the zebras have adjusted well to their new home throughout the winter and zoo staff continues training and enrichment with them.

“The winter was really mild, so they had many days where they were able to go outside and enjoy the weather a little bit,” he said, noting that zebras can withstand the cold around the -6 C mark.

Looking forward, Mitchell said a new heated barn will be built in the next two weeks to provide more space for the animals, and the zoo is also working to put up more fencing in the yard for them.

A new barn for the zebras is needed to comply with Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums guidelines, which Mitchell said in a previous interview needs to provide about 500 square feet for each zebra.

The barn will be funded by the province, which originally had possession of the zebras throughout the investigation.

On Sunday, the province informed the city of Saskatoon of the concluded legal proceedings and ownership was transferred to the zoo.

According to a statement from the Government of Saskatchewan, the zebras were sold to a Saskatchewan resident by a zoo facility in Manitoba and were imported to his rural property in the province, breaching the Wildlife Act and The Captive Wildlife Regulations.

After receiving a tip, conservation officers began an investigation and the zebras were seized by a warrant on June 13 of last year.

“Assisted by staff from Animal Protection Services and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, conservation officers transported the animals to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm and Zoo, which is the only facility in Saskatchewan licensed to care for zebras,” the statement read.

On Nov. 7, Nicholas Hazell — the man who purchased the zebras — pleaded guilty to importing the zebras without a licence, which violates The Wildlife Act, and also to holding them in captivity on a property near Candiac, southeast of Regina.

The zebras were forfeited to the Crown and Hazell was handed a $2,800 fine.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Koffee.