Carousel Returns to Schenley Plaza
Our bodies are tingling telling us something new is arriving! Some of us call it “spring fever” and others call it allergies. We call it carousel season in Schenley Plaza!
While the past year or so has been an adjustment, excitement can still be found among us. We’re welcoming back our animal friends that can be found on the PNC Carousel all season long! They’ve been safe and sanitary, and living their best hibernation lives! But hey, who better to tell us what they have been up to than the carousel animals themselves?
All the old pals are coming back, and sporting their most funky mask, too! Read about their winter adventure stories below. Some of the animals visit family and friends, others catch up on old hobbies with their free time, but they all have one thing in common… They can’t wait to see you!
The animal carousel in Schenley Plaza will open on April 9th.
Topper the Triceratops
When winter comes, Topper the carousel Triceratops heads across the plaza to Carnegie Museum of Natural History to spend time with his extended family.
“I have a big and sprawling family,” says Topper, “and it’s great to reconnect with ol’ Ankylosaurus and my ceratops cousins.”
Now that spring is here, and Topper is looking forward to getting back out on the plaza.
“I miss my work family, you know?”
Freedom the Eagle
Freedom has been busily adding to her large nest, along with her partner, way up high in a tree in Hays Woods. She laid three eggs in February, which hopefully will hatch by late March. Although this symbol of Freedom is rejoining the carousel, two real bald eagles care for their young in the nest. By the end of summer, the young will be mature enough to leave the nest and continue living independently. When you ride Freedom, think of the real-life adventures of the Bald Eagles that call Pittsburgh their home – fishing in the rivers, soaring through the air on 7-foot wingspans, renovating their nest that can weigh hundreds of pounds. You can watch the bald eagle cam at http://www.aswp.org/pages/hays-nest
Puff the Sea Dragon
Puff the Sea Dragon doesn't like the cold weather or snow we have here in Pittsburgh, so every winter, he swims his way to a nice warm part of the ocean. This winter, Puff swam across the sea to the East coast of Australia, where he's from, and where the water is nice and warm in the winter. Puff found a lovely kelp forest and a beautiful coral reef to stay in during the winter, camouflaging himself in the leaves and on the coral so he can relax in the warm water. Puff is on his way back across the ocean to spend the warm spring and summer with his friends and make new friends who visit him at the carousel!
RRRAAA-BIT'! The Rabbit
RRRAAA-BIT'! the carousel's rabbit likes to spend her winters doing some interior decorating. There isn't a lot of grass and plants for her to explore or forage outside her home. Instead, she rearranges her tunnels underground. Sometimes, she redecorates her home for so long, so she can fall asleep in a different tunnel every night. With all the snow melted and the weather getting warmer, she can't wait to take her friends foraging for plants and come back to the carousel!
Toofus the Tiger
The PNC Carousel tiger, Toofus, has a cousin who stays year-round at the Pittsburgh Zoo. During this past winter, he visited this cousin, and they spent lots of time playing tag and lounging around together. Toofus’ favorite activity is pouncing on his cousin when he least expects it. Now that the spring weather is coming, he will say goodbye to his cousin and venture back to Schenley Plaza to race around the carousel with his pals.
Sea Diver the Dolphin
Sea Diver loves to explore and go on adventures when the carousel is closed for the winter. She often explores the ocean, searching for sunken ships and lost treasure. This winter, Sea Diver traveled the east coast of Florida and found a fascinating sunken pirate ship. She is very excited about what she saw and is now heading back to Pittsburgh to tell the carousel visitors all about it.