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Calgary Zoo hosts parades featuring life-size puppets of endangered species

One of two owl puppets that appear in the daily conservation parade at the Wilder institute/Calgary Zoo. (supplied) One of two owl puppets that appear in the daily conservation parade at the Wilder institute/Calgary Zoo. (supplied)
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The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is holding parades at the zoo featuring depictions of endangered species and wants you to join in on the educational fun.

The conservation parades, which makes its way down the zoo's Discovery Trail at 11 a.m. each day, includes puppets constructed by the Green Fools Theatre of several at-risk species that the zoo is trying to protect.

Visitors will encounter a polar bear, a greater sage-grouse, a whooping crane, a great grey owl and a burrowing owl.

Dean Bareham, artistic director and co-founder of the Calgary-based theatre company, says designing and constructing the life-size puppets was a creative undertaking.

"Building those five life-size puppets allowed us to stretch our creative muscles and to make the puppets as life-like as possible while considering durability for daily use and manageability for the puppeteers."

Bareham is excited to see how the puppets will be used in the parade.

"We are particularly excited to see the zoo engaging with artists and using puppetry to help patrons connect to these animals."

Alison Archambault, director of brand and engagement at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, greatly appreciates the theatre's contributions.

"We are grateful to the Green Fools Theatre for partnering with us and helping bring our vision to life."

Other performers in the zoo's parade include the in-house Wilder Bunch theatre team, and visitors are encouraged to join the parade.

The daily parades are scheduled to run until the end of September.

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