What a difference in weather we are seeing as we approach Mother’s Day weekend throughout the zoo and the community. With the sunshining, the temperatures rising and the yards drying up, most of the animals that have spent the winter off exhibit are now enjoying the weather as much as we humans are and all this just in time for Mother’s Day.

During this year’s Mother’s Day, the zoo will be celebrating all the new moms with their babies, both old and new and on both sides of the river. On the north side of the river, we are blessed to have four babies to celebrate. The three bison calves, two born last year and the most recent born last Thursday. The other, and probably lesser known, is a female Bactrian camel calf born last Wednesday, 4/27. Because this was Quora’s (pronounced Cora) first calf, special care was taken to ensure that she was healthy and Quora was able to properly care for her. The yet to be named calf and her mom were separated from Sisco in her barn stall and holding pen to give them time to bond and make sure that all was well.

South of the river, the zoo will be celebrating Kianga, the female giraffe, and her calf, Amani, born last September. Locked away for most of the winter months, the pair along with the male, Mashama, are back, out on exhibit, and enjoying the change in weather. While it’s not a competition, at least as far as we know, Zoya our female Amur tiger, was not about to be outdone and provided the southside of the zoo with three cubs, which could have outnumbered the northside on their own, had it not been for last week’s births. The cubs, born March 19, include two males and a female and were named Dmitri, Luka, and Viktoria. They are all healthy and have become mesmerizing to those visitors lucky enough to find them at play in the tiger dayroom, but they are still babies and much of their day is spent nursing and napping.

So, this Mother’s Day, staff on both sides of the Souris River will be celebrating the moms in their respective areas. In celebration of these moms and moms everywhere, the zoo will be offering free admission to all moms this Mother’s Day, Sunday, with a paid child admission. It is a great way to get outside, disconnect, and let mom know how special she really is. With the new spring hours, the zoo opens at 9 a.m. and remains open until 6 p.m.

For all those planning to come out and celebrate the zoo babies on both sides of the river, you may be interested in joining us tonight (Wednesday, 5/4) at 6:30 p.m. Along with Ackerman-Estvold and the Minot Park District, the zoo will be hosting a public meeting to show what the impact of the flood mitigation project will be on both the Roosevelt Park and the Zoo.

To all you moms, may you have a blessed Mother’s Day and know that you are needed. To all others, make sure that special lady who gave you life, knows how much she’s appreciated this weekend and every day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.