The inhabitants of Edmonton Valley Zoo have some mythical visitors for a time as a travelling exhibit stops in the city. Edmonton’s zoo is home to more than 250 animals, ranging from small lemurs to Lucy the Elephant. All of which are real animals, though they now have some less-than-real companions. Statues depicting mythical creatures like mermaids, minotaurs and centaurs are on display at the zoo. “These are completely climbable statues, and they’re here for our guests to enjoy and have fun, interact with them, climb them, take pictures (with them) and enjoy,” said Nicki D’Angelo, the special events coordinator at Edmonton Valley Zoo. The statues are part of a travelling exhibition from Little Ray’s Exhibitions, which “captures the essence of folklore and fantasy, inviting visitors to explore a diverse range of mythical entities,” according to the company. The zoo partnered with Little Ray’s in 2024 for the Wildlife Rescue: Second Chance at Survival exhibition. The statues are in an area of the zoo that’s currently slated for redevelopment, so not as many animals are around as usual. “So this is a way for us to animate the area and still make it really enjoyable for all of our visitors,” D’Angelo said. “Just to have the ability to touch it and play with it and interact with it has been great. “Kids love to climb, so this gives them something at the zoo they can climb. It’s not just kids, though, we’ve had a lot of parents and grandparents even climb them as well.” The zoo tried to pair the creatures with their “natural” habitat, the mermaids by the pond and the troll in a forest, though not under a bridge. The Mythical Creatures exhibition will be at the zoo until November.
