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Ground-dogs’ predictions good as Punxatawney Phil

By The TimesLedger

Forget the groundhogs. Queens has its very own ground-dogs, Flushing Meadows Phil and Corona Kate.

Because prairie dogs are related to groundhogs, it's all in the family when it comes to predicting the end of winter on Feb. 2. The prairie dogs will kick off a weekend of exciting activities celebrating groundhog day at the Queens Zoo.

Prairie Dog Prediction – Watch history in the making as the Zoo's weather predicting phenomenons, Phil and Kate, predict six more weeks of winter or an early spring. Sat., 11 a.m., Zoo entrance.

Meet and Greet – Get up close and personal with the weekend's stars. Get to meet Phil and Kate after they've made their prediction. Sat. & Sun. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Prairie Tales – Listen to captivating Native American tales of prairie dogs, bison and coyotes. Sat & Sun., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the education center.

Get crafty – Make a pop-up prairie dog, a prairie dog mask or a prairie dog button to take home. Sat. and Sun., 1-4 p.m., education center.

Make Your Own Forecast – Visitors can make their own predictions for the year's weather, just like ground-dogs Phil and Kate.

The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111 St. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Call 271-1500 or go to www.queenszoo.com