Calgary gets Yukon the kid, Saskatchewan funeral home goes green, Edmonton pushed to move Elephant, and Winnipeg loves Swedish company
Yukon the kid (left) donated to Calgary Zoo
There is a new kid in town. The Yukon Wildlife Preserve has donated Yukon, a Rocky Mountain goat kid to the Calgary Zoo. The young male, of 115 pounds, will join two other females at the zoo in the Rocky Mountain section of the Canada Wilds exhibit.
Calgary Zoo curator Jamie Dorgan, says Yukon’s father Geronimo was an orphan kid from the Northern Lights Wild Shelter In Smithers B.C. Dorgan and other officials say having Yukon is a key addition for the gene pool of Calgary Rocky Mountain goats.
“This little guy is first-generation captive-born on his sire’s side, and only a few generations on his dam’s side, making him a really valuable addition to the captive population,” Dorgan told CBC News.
The Yukon Wildlife Preserve and Calgary Zoo have an understanding that the zoo could eventually see one of Geronimo’s offspring. Most captive goats of this variety are related to the stock at the zoo. Calgary Zoo officials say that Yukon is feeling at home in his new surroundings.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2012/11/28/north-goat-yukon-calgary-zoo.html
A pressurized chamber used for alkaline-hydrolysis
There is a now a more eco-friendly way to handle the deceased. The process is called alkaline hydrolysis and Saskatchewan is the first province in Canada to give it a try.
Speers Funeral Home is the first funeral home in Canada to adopt this process that has been becoming more popular in the United State since 2007. Todd Lumbard of the Regina chapel says the process is a lot like cremation but the body is put into a pressurized chamber along with an alkaline solution rather than being burned.
This process reduces the body to liquid and bone, and instead of the family taking home their loved one’s ashes they are given their powdered bone. The carbon footprint left by alkaline hydrolysis is much smaller than that of cremation.
“With regular cremation you do have smoke going out a smoke stack and more and more there’s environmental concern about that,” said Lumbard to Calgary Herald. You have a different process with the liquid going into the drain, but it’s not smoke going into the air.”
Edmonton Zoo’s Lucy the elephant
Her name is Lucy, and the question is should she stay or should she go. Lucy is a 37-year old Asian pachyderm and different animal right groups along with a Toronto council are up in arms about moving Lucy to a warmer climate. The Toronto council voted late on Tuesday to move their 3 remaining elephants to the Performing Welfare Society in San Andreas by years end and feels Edmonton should follow suit.
Edmonton Valley Zoo veterinarian Milton Ness, says his mind won’t waver, and, despite opinions of the Toronto council, their elephants are in good health and moving them isn’t a medical concern. But he does not feel the same way as where Lucy is concerned.
“Lucy suffers from arthritis and also has a respiratory obstruction that makes it difficult for her to breathe,” said. Ness “It’s just plain dangerous to think about moving her.”
Voice for Animals, Tove Reece who has been involved with Lucy’s lawsuit to have her moved believe keeping her in Edmonton will kill her. She has swayed celebrities like Bob Barker and Sir Paul McCartney to be a part of this cause. While Lucy’s fate is still undecided, for now Edmonton remains her home.
Lucy meets Bob Barker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqglzAHH_hM
Lineup outside of Winnipeg’s IKEA early Wednesday morning
The Swedish are known for their meatballs, massages, and their quirky niche furniture and Winnipeggers camped outside early Wednesday morning to be the first to purchase the latter.
Officials of the new store located on Kenaston Boulevard and Sterling Lyon Parkway told CBC News that as early as 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday the Swedish furniture store had already seen 8,200 visitors, 2,000 of that were a long line of those who braved the cold and entered the store at 9 a.m. By the end of opening day the store projected it would see more than 20,000 visitors.
Before the doors to Western Canada’s largest IKEA even open the parking lot was full. The first 1,000 people were given gift boxes which included an Allen key and a $75 gift certificate. One Allen Key won Winnipegger Trish Kekropidis a $5,000 shopping spree. With much excitement, she screamed, “I’m going shopping.”
To celebrate the new store in Winnipeg festivities included a speech delivered by Mayor Sam Katz, and performances from First Nations dancers and jugglers.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/11/28/mb-ikea-opening-winnipeg.html
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Chadd Cawson is an intern at Spectator Tribune. Follow him at: @ChaddCawson
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