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John Ball Zoo’s skunk comes out to give appraisal of Groundhog Day

Posted at 2:57 PM, Feb 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-02 14:57:31-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The John Ball Zoo wasn’t going to let the fact that they don’t have a groundhog ruin this Groundhog Day.

Zookeepers trotted out Turnip the skunk to see if their own burrowing rodent could predict whether or not spring would soon be coming.

Turnip went digging in sand and snow.  She was a little more interested in the sand, so the zoo is taking that as a sign of an early spring.

Turnip is a former pet and skunks aren’t really recommended as pets.  Turnip is now a zoo “ambassador” animal that is not on exhibit, but goes out for educational programs.