MILWAUKEE — Groundhog’s Day isn’t exclusive to just groundhogs — at least according to the Milwaukee County Zoo. This year, the zoo’s Nigerian dwarf goats will take over for the weather prediction duties for their annual Groundhog Day ceremony on Sunday, February 2 at 9:00 a.m. CST.
It’ll take place at the zoo’s Northwestern Mutual Family Farm Goat Yard before it opens to the public for the day. According to event organizers, the goats will run into their yard and predict whether it’ll be a long winter or early spring, which will be shared via the Zoo’s social media accounts and website.
Last year, the zoo conducted the festivities with Humboldt penguins, who they say are currently nesting and settling into their new Penguins of the Pacific habitat — a new addition to Milwaukee County as of December 2024.
If the Nigerian dwarf goats see their shadows, the zoo will declare six more weeks of winter. If not, they will declare an early Spring. Regardless, the small and excitable goats can be seen from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. CST to 4:00 p.m. CST.
