Brent Mielke – aka ‘The Zoo Man’ – takes his Prairie Winds animals on the road to Mountain Lake
Brent Mielke – aka “The Zoo Man” – made his 24th visit to Mountain Lake Public Library on Monday afternoon, June 23, as part of the “Paws to Read” Summer Reading Program. He brought four different animals along to visit – a snapping turtle and three different kinds of snakes. The Zoo Man talked about each, what and how often they ate – and included an additional interesting fact or two.
Over the past 26 years, The Zoo Man has performed live in front of more than six-and-one-half million people in 47 of the 50 United States and Canada, been on numerous television shows – and in one year alone performed 2,300 times. He performs for professional sports franchises, libraries, schools, county fairs and town festivals, in addition to his television appearance.
He used to live in Adrian, Minnesota until a 2006 fire wiped out his zoo. So, he moved back home to Sleepy Eye to relocate his Prairie Winds Zoo, as well as his “side business” – Dungeon Gym.
A graduate of Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, Mielke has two Masters degrees; one in wellness/exercise science and the other in herpetology (reptiles)/zoology. As The Zoo Man, he makes use of one of his advanced degrees, and with Dungeon Gym, the other.
The Zoo Man’s friends during the visit included a young snapping turtle, Razor a ball python, a corn snake and Big Guy Junior III, a fast-growing golden albino Burmese python.
Summer Reading Program events continue
Summertime events are continuing at the library. Feature programs remaining on the calendar include the Zinghoppers and “Game Day.” Meanwhile, regular activities include:
* Wednesday, June 25 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., “Make & Take” craft.
* Wednesday, July 2 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., “Make & Take” craft.
* Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5 – Library is closed for Fourth of July holiday.
* Wednesday, July 9 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., “Make & Take” craft.
* Thursday, July 10 – 1 p.m., “Paws to Read” with The Zinghoppers (an interactive concert event funded by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
* Tuesday, July 15 – 1 p.m., “Game Day” at the library. (This event is for children who have completed kindergarten and older. No preschool-age children, please.)
* Wednesday, July 16 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., “Make & Take” craft.
Following are more photos from the Zoo Man’s visit.
