Hidy and Howdy

The mascots’ names represent the Calgary region’s hospitality. Thus “Hidy” is an extension of “hi”, and “Howdy” is short for “how do you do”, a typical western American greeting. These names were chosen by a citizens’ jury following a contest organised by Calgary Zoo that attracted almost 7,000 entries.

Hidy and Howdy are polar bears, symbolic of the Arctic regions located in the north of the American continent. They wear Western-style hats and outfits.