REGINA — The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is launching a new exhibit that ought to be a “hoot” for the many visitors expected this summer.
The exhibit is called Owls of Saskatchewan and is aimed at educating people on the 14 various species of owl found in Saskatchewan. The exhibit and various activities associated with it will be at the museum for visitors throughout July and August.
Ray Poulin, curator for the exhibit and director of research and collections at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, said they thought owls would “be a fantastic topic.”
“People see owls in the wild, they get excited, right? It's, they're kind of mysterious. You don't see them all the time and they're fascinating when you see them. So that's kind of what we can do here at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum is provide that up close look at wildlife that you maybe see from afar, right? Or maybe you see it here and then when you see it out in the wild, it's, it becomes a little bit more exciting.“
The display features the following owl species:
- Great Gray Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Snowy Owl
- American Barn Owl
- Barred Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
- Northern Hawk Owl
- Western Screech Owl
- Eastern Screech Owl
- Boreal Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
- Northern Pygmy Owl.
“So Canada has 16 species of owls that have ever been found here, we have 14 of them that have been found here in Saskatchewan,” said Poulin. “Some of them are pretty rare. They've only shown up a couple of times, but we have all of them here on exhibit. So people can see even those rare ones that you might not easily get a glimpse of in the wild — you can come and see them here at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.”
The display opens July 4, but Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross was on hand for a sneak preview tour of the attractions on July 2.
During her visit, Ross tried out pressing the buttons to hear the owl calls at the interactive exhibit. She was surprised by the sounds associated with the owls, recognizing them as ones she has heard before.
“I had no idea those were owls. I didn't even know they were birds actually, because you don't know. There's so many different animals out there.”
Ross said this attraction is something that kids visiting the museum ought to experience.
“I'd love my grandson, he's 10, he would think this was fabulous. So I think this is something that the kids, you know, our young kids, our students, I think everyone, it's wonderful enjoyment for the entire family.”
Ross then took a look at the Owl Lab, which will be open as part of the exhibit. The lab will be open for exploration from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on select days. According to a news release, topics will include Owl Pellet Dissection, You Spin My Head Right Round, Right Round!, and, in the auditorium, Owl About Owls.
The plan is for the museum to offer owl-themed programming and experiences through the summer months. According to a news release, those plans include a scavenger hunt, a postcard stamp station, special theme nights, trivia slideshows, interactive games and activities in the Learning Lab.
The display’s opening celebrations happen between 1-4 p.m. on July 4, and include a visit from two burrowing owls from the Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre.
