Now that warm weather has arrived and most of us have put away our heavy winter coats, it’s time for the annual Sheep Shearing Weekend at the Queens Zoo.
On Saturday and Sunday, May 1 and 2 the folks at the Zoo, located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, host this fleece-filled weekend featuring live wool-processing demos, arts-and-crafts, and of course, the zoo’s Jacob’s four-horned, Suffolk and other sheep breeds and ewe will enjoy it as much as you will.
The highlight of course is the actual shearing – performed by Wildlife Conservancy expert Peter Sepe – of the zoo’s herd, which last year produced over 100 pounds of wool and made the animals far more comfortable during the delightful summer months.
The resulting more than 30 skeins of yarn were donated to Project Linus, Knit for Infants, Hearts and Hands of Love – all charities which knit garments and blankets for those in need.
At the end of March, the Queens Zoo welcomed four baby lambs – two males and two females to herd. The lambs are doing well, zookeepers said, and have been very active.
The male lambs have been named Phineus and Ferb. Suggestions for names for the still-unnamed female lambs were taken online at the zoo’s web site.
The Zoo is open every day of the year, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and until 5:30 p.m. on weekends, through October. The sheep shearing celebration is free with admission: $7 for adults, $4 for seniors 65 and older, $3 for kids 3-12 and free for children under 3. Volunteers wanted.
For more information, call 718-271-1500 or visit www.queenszoo.com or www.wcs.org.
