SHUBENACADIE: With a bevy activities planned at Shubenacadie WIldlife Park, Shubenacadie Sam, will signal Feb. 2 whether it’s time to put away the shovels or keep them out for another six weeks of winter.
Nova Scotians can join Sam for the groundhog’s annual forecast in person or watch it livestreamed on the park’s Facebook page. Sam will be joined by a groundhog mascot to help celebrate Groundhog Day in style.
“Our annual Groundhog Day celebration is a fun tradition for many Nova Scotia families,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables.
“I’m always hopeful Sam will predict an early spring, but either way, this is a much-anticipated event every year.”
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Folklore says winter will last for six more weeks if the groundhog sees its shadow, while no shadow is a sign of an early spring.
February 2 is also World Wetlands Day. Wetlands support biodiversity and many species at risk and help mitigate the effects of floods and droughts by acting as a sponge on the landscape.
The park will host an event focused on wetlands on February 3 and 4.
The park is open from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Groundhog Day.
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Quick Facts:
– the groundhog’s scientific name is Marmota monax, one of 14 types of marmot that can be found in the Northern Hemisphere
– except for Groundhog Day, Shubenacadie Wildlife Park is open only on weekends during winter, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
– this year’s event will take place in the parking lot of Shubenacadie Wildlife Park
– World Wetlands Day was established by the United Nations and is celebrated internationally
