Nova Scotians are invited to celebrate Groundhog Day with Shubenacadie Sam as he makes his annual spring forecasting prediction from his home at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park on Saturday, Feb. 2.

Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin will join Sam and his friends to watch the prediction at 8 a.m.

Folklore says winter will last for six more weeks if a groundhog sees its shadow. No shadow is a sign of an early spring.

“Sam will be the first to make his prediction, about an hour before his fellow groundhogs in Ontario and the eastern United States,” said Mr. Rankin. “Sam and I invite everyone to be part of the excitement of Groundhog Day at the wildlife park and enjoy hot drinks, family activities and informative displays.”

The park opens at 7 a.m. and admission is free-of-charge on Groundhog Day until noon.

Feb. 2 is also World Wetlands Day. Wetlands provide an important service in carbon storage and mitigation against floods, as well as other ecological benefits.

Representatives from Ducks Unlimited Canada, Department of Lands and Forestry, Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council, Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, Nova Scotia Birds Society, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation, Clean Nova Scotia and Mi’Kmaq Conservation Group will join Sam at the park to raise awareness about the value of wetlands.

The Wetland Centre will also be open to visitors until 1 p.m.

Those unable to attend Sam’s prediction can watch it live at www.novascotiawebcams.com/en/webcams/shubenacadie-sam/.

Sam will also share his prediction on social media to everyone following @ShubenacadieSam on Twitter.

For Groundhog Day, the park will be open until 3 p.m. Directions to the park and winter hours are available online at http://wildlifepark.novascotia.ca.

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Source : Media Release