Exotic butterflies escape biome in The Leaf, prompting closure
The escape of some exotic butterflies in The Leaf has prompted the temporary closure of the butterfly biome.
A spokesperson for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy told CTV News some of the butterflies in the biome on the third floor of The Leaf managed to escape into other parts of the building.
"We are confident none of them have escaped the building," Laura Cabak, the director of communications and public relations for Assiniboine Park Conservancy, said in an email to CTV News.
"Last week, we conducted testing to locate potential gaps and found there are some that need to be addressed."
Cabak said the biome has been temporarily closed, in compliance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which regulates the import of animals into Canada. The remaining exotic butterflies have been taken to a holding facility at the Zoo.
"We expect to reopen the biome soon with native butterfly species until the necessary repairs can be addressed," Cabak said.
This comes days after The Leaf had to temporarily close its doors for a few hours due to the heat.
Amid the soaring heat on Sunday, one of the sensors in The Leaf recorded the temperature hitting 43 degrees, prompting the closure of the facility for several hours.
"With the higher temperatures experienced in the Tropical Biome, it has become increasingly challenging to manage the water temperature in the pond," Cabak said on Wednesday. "As a result, to ensure their health and welfare, the koi will be gradually removed and transferred to a temporary holding facility."
Cabak previously told CTV News cooler weather in the forecast is expected to bring some relief.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.