Pasture

Among the zoo's residents are some hoofed animals - feral pigs, horses, sheep and goats.

Some pig! Feral pig
Sus scrofa

The pigs at the zoo are feral. A feral animal is a domestic animal living in a wild state, for one or many generations. Feral pigs live throughout the state and are considered a nuisance by many people, a treasure to some, and fair game to others. The responsibility for their control and removal falls to the California Department of Fish and Game. Some feral populations of pigs have crossbred with European wild boars that were once released in California for sporting purposes.

Pigs use their unique snouts to root in the ground for insects, grubs, bulbs and roots. They eat leaves, nuts, eggs, small animals and carrion. Pigs don't sweat, so during warm weather they enjoy a wallow in mud to keep cool.

Wilbur and Templeton

Wilbur and Templeton are the beautiful color of hand rubbed red mahogany, when they are not covered in mud! As with all pigs they are intelligent, compact and sturdy, moving through the world on their pointed cloven hoofed trotters. They came to the zoo from the California Department of Fish and Game. Pigs are endowed with many talents, not the least of which is the ability to dig big holes using their sturdy snouts, rooting out tubers and insects and other good things to eat. Unfortunately, if this big hole involves landscaped or farmed areas, it may be considered depredation and the pigs might be removed. So it was with the mother and siblings of Templeton and Wilbur.

Horses

Resident horse Gus gets company each year when the foals arrive each Fall. The foals are rescued from a Premarin foal auction in Canada. These horses are born to horses that are used in the manufacturing of estrogen Premarin - pregnant mare urine. The foals are available for adoption. Contact the zoo for information and an adoption application.

Sheep and goat

You will see the Barbados-cross sheep Princess and Maggie, and pygmy goat Tammy in the field where the horses live. These field animals love the pasture grass and the hay delivered to them by zoo staff.

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©2008 Friends of the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.
The Friends of the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which assists
in the support and development of the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.