Easter 2020: Santa Rosa Wildlife Preserve shares annual egg hunt activities with animals online

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Monday, April 13, 2020
Santa Rosa Wildlife Preserve shares annual Easter activities with animals online
Safari West wildlife preserve in Santa Rosa held its annual 'Hunt for the Hare' Easter celebration featuring many animals. Since the safari is closed to the coronavirus pandemic in the Bay Area, the search went online for the first time.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- Mr. Hare went missing on Easter day at Safari West in Santa Rosa. It happens every year, as part of a Easter celebration at the wildlife preserve.

Spoiler alert: Mr. Hare is actually a man dressed in a bunny costume.

In addition to the bunny search, the holiday tradition includes a look at animals at the preserve enjoying their Easter treats.

Safari West has been closed due to the pandemic but didn't want to end the yearly event, so they put it on social media for the first time to allow people to join in the search.

RELATED: Bay Area Easter celebrations adapting to COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders

Mr. Hare got lost at Safari West on Sunday morning while out hiding Easter eggs. In the video, two staff members search the wildlife preserve for the wayward rabbit. Along the way, we catch up with various animals, some devouring their Easter goodies, while others seem to have more fun playing around with them.

Animals featured in the video include a striped hyena, a warthog and patas monkeys. The video also shows a red river hog, a wild member of the pig family, really enjoying a dyed ostrich egg.

In the end, Mr. Hare is found safe. Staff at Safari West say they're getting him a GPS for next year.

You can watch the entire hunt for Mr. Hare and animals eating sweet Easter treats here.

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