Shubenacadie Sam, Lucy the Lobster see shadows, predict six more weeks of winter
Two well-known animals in Nova Scotia shared the same opinion Thursday after seeing their shadows, predicting six more weeks of winter.
Shubenacadie Sam emerged from her burrow to make her annual prediction just after at 8 a.m. Thursday at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in Shubenacadie, N.S.
“Don’t put away your hat and mitts yet,” Sam said on Twitter after her prediction.
Sam also saw her shadow last year.
If Sam hadn’t seen her shadow, an early spring would be in store, according to folklore.
“Some people say it even goes back to 16th century Germany and a tradition of observing badgers and other wildlife,” said Dr. Andrew Morrison, a manager and veterinarian at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, after Sam’s prediction.
“It’s just a matter of observing what happens in nature and sort of learning a few things from it.”
Shubenacadie Sam was joined by a much larger groundhog mascot, who danced and shivered in Thursday’s cold temperatures before the real Sam emerged from her home.
Sam slowly left her burrow’s door before scurrying over to about 50 park visitors watching by a nearby fence. Morrison estimates crowds would have been bigger if not for the frigid temperatures.
This year’s event was the first in-person Groundhog Day prediction at the park since 2019.
Sam’s prediction was confirmed within seconds before she went back in her burrow for a rest and a reward.
“She’s going back to bed. She’s gonna warm up and take the day off,” says Morrison, who adds that getting Sam set up for Groundhog Day is “a bit of a procedure.”
“(She) has to be warm … she has to be awake and come out and make sure she’s got a really good breakfast, does her stretches, and then she pops.”
Groundhogs are normally hibernating this time of year.
“Some time around now is when some of them will start to emerge from hibernation and they’ll pop out to take a look around and see how the weather’s going,” Morrison says.
“If the weather’s good, then they’re gonna stay out and start looking for food. If the weather’s cold, they’re gonna go back underground and sleep another few weeks.”
Sam is the first groundhog in North America to make a prediction, about an hour before other groundhogs in Ontario and the eastern United States.
LUCY THE LOBSTER
Lucy the Lobster also predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing her shadow Thursday morning.
Lucy crawled her way out of the ocean for her annual prediction in Barrington, N.S., which is considered the lobster capital of Canada.
It didn’t take long before the call was made official.
"It's official. She sees her shadow," said Alain Bossé, also known as The Kilted Chef, who helped Lucy with her prediction on Thursday.
Lucy's prediction is the first event to kick off the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl festival, which runs from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.
Details on the festival can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ukraine says battle for Bakhmut is 'stabilizing'
The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces are pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
'Everything is interwoven': Trudeau and Biden vow continued Canada-U.S. collaboration during historic visit
U.S President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have announced updates on a number of cross-border issues, after a day of meetings on Parliament Hill.
Asylum seeker deal between U.S. and Canada won't stop drama at border, advocates say
The new asylum seeker agreement between Canada and the United States will not deter migrants from trying to cross into Canada outside official ports of entry, Quebec immigration advocacy groups say.
Scientists say they've solved the mystery of cigar-shaped comet 'Oumuamua
Scientists now say they know outerspace object ‘Oumuamua is, and the answer is more simple than some previous theories have suggested.
'A riot of colours' and 'stunning views' can be found in Canada's national parks. Here's where to go this summer
This past week, Parks Canada opened up its reservation system for the 2023 season, offering places to stay, hikes to take and national historic sites to visit across the country. According to three experts, here's where to travel this summer.
Incredible photos show northern lights dancing across much of Canada
Sky-gazers and shutterbugs across much of Canada were treated to a spectacular display of northern lights Thursday night and into Friday morning.
W5
W5 | Comedian Russell Peters doesn't pull punches in climate of 'cancel culture,' 'political correctness'
CTV W5 speaks with members of the comedy industry, including Russell Peters, for a wide-ranging look at how political correctness and 'cancel culture' has changed the world of stand-up comedy.
Ontario woman kicks off 'long shot' search for wedding dress after dad mistakenly donates it
A woman in southern Ontario is making a plea to the public and kicking off a "long shot" search for her wedding dress after her father accidentally donated it earlier this year.
Most Canadians believe speeding tickets should be tied to income: poll
A new survey conducted by Research Co. found that the majority of Canadians support tying speeding tickets to income, otherwise known as ‘progressive punishment.’
Toronto
-
Ontario woman kicks off 'long shot' search for wedding dress after dad mistakenly donates it
A woman in southern Ontario is making a plea to the public and kicking off a "long shot" search for her wedding dress after her father accidentally donated it earlier this year.
-
Ontario crypto king kidnapped, tortured in an attempt to get millions in ransom, documents say
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
-
Ontario changes eye exam eligibility for seniors under OHIP
Ontario has reached a funding agreement with optometrists that increases some payments to them, but reduces some coverage for patients, including less frequent general eye exams for seniors.
Calgary
-
Violent Calgary road rage: New photos released, persons of interest sought
Calgary police have released photos of a man and vehicle believed to be involved in a case of road rage last month that left the victim with substantial injuries.
-
1 missing as 2 houses burn in afternoon fire in northwest Calgary
One person is missing and a dog is dead after two homes caught fire Friday afternoon in northwest Calgary.
-
New film by Calgary's Tank Standing Buffalo streams on HBO
Tank Standing Buffalo's MONSTR was one of eight animated shorts chosen from more than 1,200 submissions to be part of the HBO Max series Only You: An Animated Shorts Collection.
Montreal
-
Asylum seeker deal between U.S. and Canada won't stop drama at border, advocates say
The new asylum seeker agreement between Canada and the United States will not deter migrants from trying to cross into Canada outside official ports of entry, Quebec immigration advocacy groups say.
-
Questions raised about safety of Old Montreal building destroyed by fatal fire
Police and firefighters have said it's too soon to say what caused the fire. But witnesses have raised questions about safety, including whether smoke detectors were working and whether there were proper emergency exits.
-
Montreal artist won't change puppet that community groups say looks like blackface
A theatre performance for children featuring a puppet that has been described as racist is continuing in the Montreal area. Several Black community organizations have criticized the puppet as being reminiscent of blackface minstrel shows — racist performances during which white people portrayed exaggerated stereotypes of Black people for laughs. But the show's creator — Franck Sylvestre, who is Black — has no plans to change the puppet, which he said is a caricature of his own features.
Edmonton
-
Oilers ready to gear up for Pride night, say 'Hockey is for everyone'
Players with the Edmonton Oilers say they are committed to celebrating Pride on Saturday night when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place.
-
Road closures for Edmonton police funeral procession announced
The procession is scheduled to leave the Alberta Legislature grounds toward Rogers Place at approximately 11:45 a.m.
-
'More concrete and parking': Critics concerned over Hawrelak Park trees after FOIP request
Members of Edmonton's River Valley Conservation Coalition board say a freedom of information request shows the city plans to remove trees in Hawrelak Park to make room for infrastructure during the controversial three-year rehabilitation project at the park.
Northern Ontario
-
Ontario's 2022 Sunshine List is out. Who was the top earner?
Ontario's so-called sunshine list is out and the three top paid public employees in the province are all at Ontario Power Generation.
-
W5 Investigates
W5 Investigates | 'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
-
Sudbury police charge OPP sergeant with criminal harassment
CTV News has learned an Ontario Provincial Police sergeant with 22 years of service has been charged in Sudbury with criminal harassment.
London
-
London police warning public of a 'high risk offender'
London Police Service has issued a public safety warning due to the release of a “high risk offender.”
-
Can this notorious London, Ont. intersection be made safer with a red light camera?
A new safety assessment of the Hamilton Road and Highbury Avenue intersection makes several recommendations to address the high number of collisions.
-
Cinder block thrown through window of south London restaurant
A London man was arrested early Friday morning after being spotted throwing a cinder block through the front door of a restaurant, according to police.
Winnipeg
-
'If it ain't broke, don't fix it': Proposed liquor in grocery stores pilot brings mixed reactions
There are mixed feelings in Manitoba about a proposed plan to expand liquor sales and put beer, wine and hard alcohol on the shelves of retailers like grocery stores.
-
'A sad thing that happens': Town of Arborg dealing with increase in stray cats
A town in Manitoba's Interlake area is trying to find new homes for stray cats that were dumped in the community.
-
Manitoba First Nation enforcing new measures to combat drug crisis
A Manitoba First Nation is enacting measures to combat an ongoing drug and addiction crisis while also calling on the federal and provincial governments to do more to address drug-related deaths within northern remote Indigenous communities.
Ottawa
-
A mixed bag of wintry weather could hamper travel
The calendar says spring, but winter's icy grip hasn't loosened just yet, as a mixture of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain is in the forecast.
-
Fire seriously damages Gatineau, Que. restaurant
Firefighters were called to Les 2 petits cochons on Chemin Montreal Ouest just before 7:30 p.m. Friday. No one was hurt in the fire.
-
City considers $13 million grant for new hotel at Ottawa airport
Ottawa taxpayers could provide a $13 million grant to support the construction of a 180-room hotel at the Ottawa International Airport, as part of a program to support the airport's post-pandemic rebound.
Saskatoon
-
'They busted the locks on our deep freeze': Sask. Cree elder says moose meat was confiscated in raid
An elder from a Saskatchewan First Nation says his home was raided last fall by conservation officers who confiscated moose meat intended for use in a ceremonial gathering and feast.
-
'Going to be an eyesore': Warman residents oppose cell tower replacement
A Warman man is organizing opposition to a cell tower SaskTel is proposing to replace on the western edge of the city.
-
Here are the artists you can see at this summer's Sask. Jazz Festival
The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival has announced its 2023 ticketed lineup.
Vancouver
-
'Fentanyl, it’s destroying everybody': Homeless crisis grows in Chilliwack
On the streets of Chilliwack, there are more homeless people than ever before, and some of them are barely teenagers.
-
Demand grows to ban octopus farms in Canada
Over 11,000 people have signed a petition demanding the Canadian government ban octopus farms from opening in the country.
-
'It was a whole dance of lights': Aurora borealis peeks through the clouds in Vancouver
Samuel Troya saw the northern lights over Vancouver once before, about a year and a half ago, but it was nothing like the spectacle he witnessed Friday morning.
Regina
-
'It’s time for action': Sask. EMS receives small portion of budget's healthcare increase
Saskatchewan’s 2023-24 budget highlighted healthcare as one of its main priorities, with Emergency Medical Services getting a small cut of the new funding.
-
'They busted the locks on our deep freeze': Sask. Cree elder says moose meat was confiscated in raid
An elder from a Saskatchewan First Nation says his home was raided last fall by conservation officers who confiscated moose meat intended for use in a ceremonial gathering and feast.
-
Sask. likely taking cautious approach with budget surplus, economics professor says
Saskatchewan is likely taking a cautious approach when it comes to the surplus announced in the 2023-24 provincial budget, according to an associate professor of economics at the University of Regina.
Vancouver Island
-
Memorial hockey game honours firefighters and raises awareness of on-the-job hazards
Greater Victoria firefighters will be lacing up their skates Saturday to honour three members who died after serving their communities.
-
Prolific offender arrested, charged after cache of stolen IDs found in search of Saanich home
A prolific offender has been arrested and charged after police searched a home in Saanich and found more than 100 pieces of personal identification, including passports, bank cards and drivers licences, believed to have been stolen from vehicles throughout Greater Victoria.
-
'It's just a matter of time': Mother of Victoria boy who disappeared 32 years ago believes he's still alive
The mother of a Victoria child who disappeared without a trace 32 years ago Friday says she believes her son is still alive. Michael Dunahee disappeared around 12:30 p.m. on March 24, 1991. The four-year-old boy was last seen on the playground at Blanshard School, his family a short distance away.