With spring in full swing, community members and visitors to Atascadero are taking advantage of two major outdoor attractions – the Charles Paddock Zoo and neighboring Atascadero Lake.
On Wednesday, the Charles Paddock Zoo announced news that could bring in more visitors – the birth of a baby Mongoose Lemur.
Lead Zookeeper, Katie Mulder, explained what this birth means for the zoo.
“Any birth is super exciting,” Mulder said, “This is a pair of mongoose lemurs that was sent to us by recommendation of the SSP with hopes that they would breed.”
She thinks the news could boost zoo attendance as well.
“There have been a couple of people who have said, ‘Hey a baby lemur, where’s the baby lemur?'” Mulder said, “I’m sure that will definitely pick up in the next week or so as word starts to spread. Especially among members, we have people who come who know these guys as individuals, and they’re really excited to see the animals they know have a baby and get to watch that baby grow.”
Brandon Pauley is a recent member of the zoo and frequently takes his daughter there, when the weather’s warm.
“I think I’ve been here 12 times since I got the membership about a month ago,” Pauley said.
Just outside, locals flocked to the Atascadero Lake to take advantage of the weather.
Matt Nielsen walks his dog here most days, but enjoys warm weather like this.
“If it stayed like this, 75 to 80, you know, is nice because I know in the summertime it gets hot. So this is pretty good,”
Nielsen said during periods of warm weather, the park becomes packed with people on the weekends.
For information on Atascadero attractions, check out the city’s website.