Sacramento Zoo hopes to reopen Saturday after storm damage cleanup, animal evacuations
SACRAMENTO -- Mongoose lemurs, meerkats, and otters, oh my!
All three animal groups had to be evacuated from their enclosures to safer ground on-site at the Sacramento Zoo ahead of dangerous storms that threatened their habitats.
Back-to-back recent storms since New Year's Eve have hit the zoo hard.
"Today Ky and Jackson our North American River Otters got to go back out, so you can see they're very happy to be back out frolicking in their pool," said Rachel Winkler, Animal Care Services director, showing CBS13 the zoo's two otters.
The otters were brought to safety in the zoo's on-site animal hospital as a precaution, to protect them from falling tree limbs in their open enclosure.
The same is true for the zoo's group of five Meerkats, which still remain housed in the hospital Tuesday as it's not yet safe for them to return to their enclosure.
"Just to make sure they stay safe from crushing limbs. With the tree being removed they should be clear to go back in the next day or two," said Winkler. "They are very curious but also very scaredy cats!"
For the animals' safety and ours, when rain and winds roar large animals are not moved, but rather confined to the inside-only part of their enclosure. It prevents them from getting hurt by any falling debris, but also keeps them more safely locked in, in case limbs were to threaten the integrity of their outside fencing.
"We are obviously making sure carnivores stay locked in because that would be a bad thing if the carnivores got out," said Winkler.
For days, cleanup has been underway at the zoo to remedy the mess left behind by Mother Nature.
"We have many trees down, structural damage. So we've got a long road ahead of us," said Jason Jacobs, Zoo Director.
At least 10 large trees toppled in the zoo, damaging fencing and two animal enclosures, which were both empty at the time they were hit.
"It's been a busy and trying two weeks for us and we are looking forward to drying out and getting the zoo back open," said Jacobs.
The mongoose lemurs might have been on the loose had the zoo staff not moved them to a temporary enclosure ahead of the last round of storms, fearing trees might breach their enclosure. Their instinct was right. Falling limbs punctured the top of the lemurs' enclosure, leaving a hole wide enough for an escape.
"They have that sturdy mesh along the outside, but with enough force, holes can get poked into it," said Winkler.
Mom, dad, and baby mongoose lemur will stay indefinitely in a tucked-away enclosure until theirs is repaired.
Disaster planning is a day-to-day operation at the zoo.
"We proactively trim trees and maintain this canopy throughout the year," said Jacobs.
But all the prep in the world is no match for Mother Nature's fury. Still, the zoo staff work 24/7 when the weather is bad to make sure the animals are protected.
"If the power goes out, do we have generators; who needs to stay warm?" said Winkler.
"We stockpile special foods and medicine. We have staff on call, we keep extra staff here," said Jacobs.
They keep the wild tame, hoping the weather does the same.
The zoo plans to reopen Saturday, Jan. 14.
It will remain closed the rest of the week for cleanup. They say the best way to support the zoo, and the animals, is to come visit when the weather clears up.
As a nonprofit, ticket sales are the primary thing that keeps them open.
To purchase tickets or a zoo membership, visit the zoo's website.