The bears of Maymont ventured out of their lairs this morning with the intent to prognosticate the end of winter but officials at the popular wildlife park tell us that due to dense cloud cover the park's bears could not spot a hint of shadow cast upon the glistening snow.

According to Germanic tradition "if a hibernating animal sees its shadow on Feb. 2 -- the Christian holiday of Candlemas -- winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early." In the United States this meteorological analysis of the seasons is typically provided by the groundhog, but lacking a friendly marmot in Richmond our next best prognosticators are the bears of Maymont.

Yet while the bears' forecast promises an early spring for Richmonders the staff at Maymont continue to clear the park of winter's most recent snow storm. "It's business as usual [at Maymont]. We're still clearing roads and walkways from our most recent dose of winter this past weekend. Since the bears didn't see their shadows, we're hoping that the forecast for more snow this weekend will prove to be inaccurate," said Maymont Foundation spokesperson Carla Murray.

With the park filled with snow and winter's chill still lingering in the air, there are plenty of adventures to be had on the landscaped hills of Maymont according to Murray. "There are families sledding the snow-covered hills as we speak and for visitors who wish to stay warm, Nature & Visitor Center and Maymont Mansion are both indoors and open Tuesday through Sunday year round. In the Nature Center, visitors can enjoy 13 giant aquariums, river otters and interactive exhibits."

Richmond City's curious lack of groundhogs begs the question, "Did the bears of Maymont eat them?" Says Murray "No, the bears have a strictly regulated diet that doesn't include groundhogs."

Learn More About Winter Adventures at the Maymont Foundation

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