Hello everyone! As we say goodbye to summer and usher in the delightful autumn weather of Virginia, we look forward to things like pumpkin spice—EVERYTHING and the beautiful fall colors. Here at Busch Gardens Williamsburg we are still quite busy.
In Scotland we have team members that come in every day to care for the 30+ animals at Highland Stables. This includes some amazing creepy creatures that you can have an awesome up-close interaction with as well as a memorable photo opportunity. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. we invite you to come and meet our Clydesdales, sheep, dogs, and maybe even a chicken! We also offer two behind-the-scenes tours daily. The limited spaces can be reserved online or at the main entrance of the park for 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is a great way to get an insider’s view of our animals at Highland Stables as well as some of the training that we do with them; no experience is ever the same. At 6 p.m., we transition from featuring most of the daytime residents of the stable, like our Clydesdales and Scottish Blackface sheep, to our more exotic and “creepy” creatures.
What animals might you encounter, you ask? For starters meet Mahari.
Mahari is a Short-Eared owl. She is a rescued animal and we are fortunate enough to provide a permanent home for her. She was struck by a car and has a damaged right wing, making it difficult for her to fly and hunt successfully. She came to our sister park, Busch Gardens Tampa, in 2006, where she engaged with our guests as an ambassador for her species. She was relocated to Busch Gardens Williamsburg in April 2013, where she has encountered even more guests and she can often be seen at Wolf Haven. She weighs in at under a pound thanks to her hollow bones and virtually-weightless feathers. Short-Eared owls hunt during daylight hours and nest on the ground. Mahari, like most animals, requires a lot of time and consistency to build trust and establish relationships. It is quite rewarding to work with animals of this nature because you can watch your relationship with them grow, and it is very exciting when you finally gain their trust.
Another owl that you may encounter is Clover, a four year old European Barn owl. This species of owl is native to North, Central, and South America, Europe, Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, and Australia. Barn owls like Clover are a monogamous species of owl, remaining with one mate for their entire lives. Though Clover has excellent eyesight, this species of owl relies heavily on their sense of hearing. While she is in flight, her right ear will focus on sound from above and her left ear will focus on sound from below, thus, her right ear is actually higher on her head than her left!
Have you ever wanted to face your fear of SNAKES? Well Creepy Creature Photo is an excellent place to do so. Meet BOB! Bob is a Common Boa constrictor. He is approximately 16 lbs. and over seven feet long. Boa constrictors are commonly found in North, Central, and South America. Because he is comfortable being interacted with, Bob is among the first animals a team member learns to handle. We invite you to come by the photo area and feel what a snake’s skin feels like and possibly quell some common myths and misconceptions about this truly amazing and environmentally-valuable animal.
Creepy Creatures Photos will run from 6p.m. until park close for the remainder of the Howl-O-Scream season. If you have any questions, stop by Highland Stables and ask the team members. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Laura, Senior Animal Care Specialist