5 days ago
Pair of shaggy Highland cattle make their debut at the Toronto Zoo
Two delightfully shaggy new faces will be on display at the Toronto Zoo starting on Friday.
The nine-month-old brothers are Scottish Highland cattle, with long, woolly, reddish coats and fringe over their eyes.
The zoo's manager of wildlife care, Marc Brandson, says the two were born and raised at a local Ontario farm before moving to the zoo about a month ago. The pair weigh around 300 to 400 pounds, and are expected to grow to twice their size, he said.
He says they completed a quarantine period and now live just outside the Eurasia Wilds area of the zoo.
Membership holders can visit the brothers at a pre-screening on Thursday, while other visitors can see them starting Friday.
Brandson says there is "a lot of excitement" around the pair because of how popular the Highland breed already is.
He says the zoo is hoping to have the brothers walk through the public area of the zoo as part of its animal ambassador program, which can give visitors a closer look at certain animals.
"Each and every day, our outreach and discovery staff are working to get them to that level," he said.
"Having a bonded pair is a really great social situation for Highland cows. These brothers are very calm and they are gaining confidence each and every day that they interact with their caregivers."
Branson said the pair will be more active as the weather gets cooler.
The brothers don't have names yet, and Brandson says the public should stay tuned on ways to contribute naming ideas.
