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May 12--A 10-foot giraffe, a zebra, an ostrich and a gazelle were spotted at the Spam Museum in Austin on Thursday.
The costume animals have been touring Minnesota attractions before they settle at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley for the "Africa: Summer on the Savanna" exhibit.
The Spam Museum was the second stop of the day for the four and a film crew, which is making a commercial to promote the summer exhibit.
Their first stop Thursday was to visit with the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth.
"The animals are going around the state as if they were tourists seeing all the different sites," said Sue Gergen, communications manager for the Minnesota Zoo.
During their stop in Austin, the animals posed with the statue Spammy while the film crew got the perfect shot.
Aside from Hormel being a well-known company, Spam is an American icon, Gergen said. "Plus to have them come to the Spam Museum is kind of fun."
Other stops include the Walker Art Center's Sculpture Garden, with its spoon and cherry sculpture; Lake Calhoun; the Stone Arch Bridge; the Metrodome; the statue of Mary Tyler Moore on Nicollet Mall; and the First Avenue nightclub.
Austin has another connection with the Minnesota Zoo; Mike McCoy, Hormel Foods executive vice president and chief financial officer, is a member of the zoo's board of directors.
The African safari exhibit, on the zoo's outdoor Northern Trail, will feature an ostrich, zebra, gazelle and giraffe. The animals are on loan from other institutions, zoos and private collectors. The animals have never before been on exhibit at the zoo.
The commercials will air on TV stations WCCO and KARE beginning May 24.
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