Ground Hog Day 2011 will become Guinea Hog Day at the Houston Zoo on Feb. 2 when two of the newest residents of the John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo, Guinea hogs Penelope and Olivia, make their winter weather prediction.
At 11 a.m. Penelope and Olivia will emerge from the McGovern Children’s Zoo “bat cave” and will make their Guinea Hog Day weather prediction by choosing between two spherical objects – one representing six more weeks of winter and the other representing the onset of spring. After making their choice, Penelope and Olivia will explain their prediction to their keepers who will provide an interpretation.
The Houston Zoo doesn’t have a ground hog because they don’t like the hot and humid tropical climate along the southeast Texas Gulf coast. The Zoo believes Guinea hogs, Penelope and Olivia are naturals for predicting future weather patterns on Feb. 2 due to their intelligence and adaptability. The Zoo keepers consider all hogs and pigs to be highly intelligent animals and quick learners with a substantial memory.
Originally from the Guinea coast of Africa, Guinea hogs spread to Europe and then the New World where they became a favorite of homesteaders in the American South. Guinea hogs are considered a rare breed today.
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