Wildlife in Texas - Types of Texan Animals

Ask Us: Readers Remember Rural Mankato Safari Museum

Q: So what happened to the other half of the elephant?

A: A couple of readers responded to the March 31 Ask Us column about the weathered sign along Highway 169 advertising a local Wildlife Safari, saying they had visited the museum, which included 50% of an African pachyderm.

"YES, there certainly WAS/is? A Wildlife Safari in a private home in the area described on Military Road," said Anita from rural Mankato. "I do not remember the name of the couple who had done a lot of traveling in Africa and South America and had 'stuffed' a lot of their prize animals, including the front half of an elephant."

She didn't mention how long ago the visit was.

"The Mankato Area Lifelong Learners toured the home, as did many other groups, as I understand," she wrote. "I have often wondered if it is still there."

Another reader recalled being at the home more than a dozen years ago.

"Hopefully you get someone who can remember more details, but I visited the safari 'museum' between 15-20 years ago," wrote the reader, who has lived in Mankato since 2001.

"It was a guy who liked to go on African safaris to hunt big game and had many of the taxidermy animals on display in the home. Pretty sure I first heard about it in a Mankato tourism publication ... ."

As mentioned on March 31, Ask Us Guy could find no hint that the owners of the property just southwest of Mankato are still actively welcoming people to view the collection, and no one since the column was published reported having visited in recent years. A single reference for a rural Mankato "Wildlife Safari Museum" on Allbiz.Com — presumably outdated — stated the museum "offers visitors the opportunity to view a variety of African animals and artifacts, including village drums, carvings, a medicine switch, warrior's shield, and spears. The museum also features a life-sized African elephant displayed in a bush setting, surrounded by many other African species."

When Ask Us Guy sent messages to the email address listed for the museum, there was no response. And that continues to be the case three weeks later. So the opportunity to see the stuff appears to have vanished — just like the back half of the elephant.

Q: Dear Ask Us,

We live in a townhome community where most of the homes are built on a slab. When we try to get hot water at any of our taps, we have to run gallons down the drain first. At any of our homes with a basement, the hot water came pretty quickly. Why aren't the pipes under the concrete required to be insulated? These pipes are in direct contact with cold dirt/sand which makes for maximum heat transfer. We are, in effect, heating the sand up before getting hot water every time we ask for hot water.

Suggestions are given, for energy savings, to insulate pipes in basements and where exposed above ground. These are just exposed to air, where there is relatively low heat transfer. I'm sure if you ask most "on slab" home occupants, they will say the same thing about getting hot water and wasted water down the drain.

A: Owners of patio homes already have said the very same thing to Ask Us Guy — back in October 2019.

As was learned five years ago, insulation of pipes is, in fact, required by modern building codes.

"It has been a requirement (for patio homes) since about 2009," Mankato city plumbing inspector Kent Erickson said of the rule that hot-water pipes be insulated. "And even prior to that, most plumbing contractors were insulating those."

But Erickson noted that insulation slows heat loss. It doesn't prevent it.

Water pipes will stay warm for a while after hot water has been run through them. They'll stay warm for a longer while if they're well insulated. Eventually, though, if hot water hasn't been used for a certain amount of time, the pipes' temperature will equalize with the surrounding gravel regardless of how much insulation is in between.

"It's going to cool down to whatever the ambient temperature is," Erickson said.

And that can be particularly noticeable when taking a shower if — as in the case with many patio homes — there's a dedicated hot-water pipe coming directly to the shower from the water heater in the mechanical room. With that setup, water may sit in that pipe for 12 or 24 hours between showers and no amount of insulation is going to keep it warm for that long, he said.

A traditional home, by contrast, has a main hot-water pipe with branch pipes heading off to various sinks, showers, washing machines and dish washers, so fresh hot water is drawn into the main pipe whenever anyone washes their hands or cleans dishes throughout the day.

Ask Us Guy, while not wanting to stereotype patio home residents, wonders if some of them might be empty-nesters. If so, part of the reason that the water in the pipes seems colder than back in the old days might be that there are no longer a houseful of kids using sinks, baths and showers at all times of the night and day — which kept the pipes from cooling down.

Contact Ask Us at The Free Press, 418 S. Second St., Mankato, MN 56001. Call Mark Fischenich at 344-6321 or email your question to mfischenich@mankatofreepress.Com; put Ask Us in the subject line.

Wildlife Safari Welcomes New Wallaroo Joey

WINSTON Ore. (KPTV) - Wildlife Safari announced a new addition to the Australia walkabout. The new Joey was born in July, 2023, to mother Kari.

When born, Wallaroo joeys are less than one inch long and spend up to 270 days in their mother's pouch.

"An interesting fact is that the joey crawls from the birth canal into the pouch on its own," Dan Brands, Curator at Wildlife Safari said. "At just the size of a jelly bean, it follows a trail of the mother's saliva, using scent to navigate to the pouch since its eyes are not fully developed."

Wildlife Safari announced a new addition to the Australia walkabout.

Around six months of age joeys begin taking trips out of the pouch and by nine months, they are out and exploring the world.

"We are overjoyed to welcome this new joey to our Wildlife Safari family," Rachael Mohlman, Village Supervisor at Wildlife Safari said. "Now that the joey is out of the pouch, we are excited to see how its personality grows."

Wildlife Safari welcomes new Wallaroo joey

In a statement, Wildlife Safari said, "This birth is not only a cause for celebration but also a testament to our ongoing efforts in wildlife conservation and education. It provides visitors with a unique opportunity to witness the beauty of nature up close and learn about the importance of protecting these incredible animals and their habitats. Wildlife Safari remains committed to providing a safe and enriching environment for all its inhabitants while offering visitors unforgettable experiences that foster a deeper connection with wildlife."

Copyright 2024 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.

Beyond Wildlife Safari In National Parks: 6 Must-do Activities

National parks are not just about observing wildlife from a distance. These are sanctuaries of biodiversity, preserving precious ecosystems and providing habitats for diverse flora and fauna. But, they are in fact much more than that. They offer a plethora of activities that cater to diverse interests, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all visitors. Apart from thrilling adventures, you get to enjoy some of the serene moments in nature, which definitely stands out whenever you are in national parks.

Here are other must-do activities in national parks that you can try beyond the traditional safari experience.

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