TOPSFIELD — The Topsfield Fair draws people far and wide for the food, games, entertainment, displays — and, of course, the animals.
This reporter roamed among hundreds of animals at the fair this week to find some notable ones to "interview."
Hanoverian (or Hannaverian)
What: German breed of horse
Name: June
Age: 17 years
Weight: 1,220 pounds
Job: Member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Distinguishing characteristic: June is the oldest horse on the tour, and she's the only one with a white blaze (stripe) down her face.
"She's also very light as far as our horses go; some of them are 1,400 to 1,500 pounds," said June's rider, Constable Meredith Darrah of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Personality: "She's a bit moody," Darrah said. "And she'll put up her hoof when she's asking for treats (the way a dog lifts its paw)."
Diet: Mix of oats and grains and "a lot of hay."
Favorite food: "She loves apples, and she really likes mints. Scotch mints, specifically," Darrah said.
Mini Rex
What: A breed of rabbit
Age: 10 weeks (male)
Weight: Under 3 pounds
Color: Broken black
Mini Rex traits: Short, thin fur that feels like velvet; grows to about 4 pounds
Personality: "The Mini Rex really makes a wonderful pet," said Marcia Thurkins, a member of the Essex County Rabbit and Cavy Association.
Diet: "The best diet is pellets and hay," Thurkins said. "Never greens; it gives them diarrhea. You can give them dry Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats. When they are full-grown, they can eat a small carrot every so often and a slice of banana or apple, but very sparingly."
Ring tailed lemur*
What: Primate typically from Madagascar
Traits: Spends most of its time on the ground but is an adept tree climber
Diet: Fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, sap and the occasional insect
Adult size: 5 to 6 pounds
Interesting traits: Male ringtails are equipped with scent glands on their wrists, which are used in "stink fighting" with a rival male.
Make some noise: Ring-tailed lemurs are one of the most vocal primates.
* Source: The Duke University Lemur Center
Lionhead
What: A new rabbit breed, part dwarf
Age: 8 weeks (male)
Weight: Less than 1 pound
Color: Vienna marked seal otter
Lionhead traits: Short fur in back and a fuzzy, fluffy mane in front like a lion.
Origin: "It's a very new breed that's been developed by cross-breeding," Thurkins said.
Camel
Name: Huey
Age: 21 years
Weight: 1,800 pounds
Daily diet: 80 pounds of hay (2 bales) and 10 pounds of grain
Snacks: Carrots and apples
Personality: "Excellent disposition. He likes to be petted on the head," David Call of the Commerford petting zoo said.
Eland
What: Antelope from Africa
Name: Poomba (male)
Age: 3 years
Diet: Fruit, seeds, leaves
Traits: Sharp, 2-foot-long horns
Personality: "He loves attention," Call said. "Anytime I'm near him, he'll start licking my arms and wants to be near me. But it's all about the food."
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