Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Zoos Weather Katrina Well
CNN.com ^ | 09/05/05

Posted on 09/05/2005 7:22:47 PM PDT by sassbox

While New Orleans officials were saying that Hurricane Katrina's death toll would likely be in the thousands, the city's animal centers fared better, with only a pair of river otters reported dead at the Audubon Zoo and a whooping crane lost at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species.

"From what I understand, we didn't take any water," zoo spokeswoman Sarah Burnette told CNN. Most of the damage to the zoo -- which houses about 1,200 animals in natural habitats -- appeared to be limited to uprooted trees and plants, she said.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Alabama; US: Louisiana; US: Mississippi
KEYWORDS: katrina; neworleans; zoo; zoos
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last
Some good news out of New Orleans, especially for the many animal lovers on FR. However this caught my eye

In anticipation of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans zoo stockpiled fuel, food and other supplies,

Hmmmm....looks like some folks in the city knew how to prepare for this storm ahead of time. The zookeepers had their stuff together and stockpiled food and water. Yet no one in NOLA city govt thought to stockpile enough food and water for the folks in the Superdome.

1 posted on 09/05/2005 7:22:47 PM PDT by sassbox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sassbox
This is good news although it seems odd that the only animals to perish were river otters
2 posted on 09/05/2005 7:24:40 PM PDT by apackof2 (In my simple way, I guess you could say I'm living in the BIG TIME)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: apackof2

Not hard to understand, just remember that it was an Audubon zoo. GangGreen clucks up again!


3 posted on 09/05/2005 7:26:49 PM PDT by GladesGuru ("In a society predicated upon liberty, it is essential to examine principles)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

Very good news indeed.

Especially when you consider the massive Croc that lives there, as well as some extremely venomous snakes from around the world.

Apparently the reptile house wasn't targeted by the looters.


4 posted on 09/05/2005 7:27:07 PM PDT by Senator Goldwater
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

You mean the zoo keepers didn't expect the federal government to instantly make up for decades of poor planning and corruption?


5 posted on 09/05/2005 7:27:53 PM PDT by Callahan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

Will the animals still "ax" for you?


6 posted on 09/05/2005 7:28:55 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: apackof2

Yeah,
the most water oriented animals croaked? What the heck?

Maybe they didn't worry as much about them and they got hurt or something.


7 posted on 09/05/2005 7:29:15 PM PDT by najida (I run with scissors and I don't play well with others.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: najida

Or maybe the toxic water killed them


8 posted on 09/05/2005 7:30:16 PM PDT by apackof2 (In my simple way, I guess you could say I'm living in the BIG TIME)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Senator Goldwater

Actually when I started hearing about the massive looting, I wondered how the zoo was holding up. Wouldn't it be a shame, I thought, if some thugs tried to attack the zoo only to be greeted by some very hungry lions, crocodiles, and venomous snakes?


9 posted on 09/05/2005 7:34:13 PM PDT by sassbox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

If only there were video.


10 posted on 09/05/2005 7:35:51 PM PDT by Senator Goldwater
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: sassbox
What I worried about was those same wild animals...hungry...roaming the streets in a panic looking for food. Sure didn't want to see the rhinos, big cats, elephants, gorillas, etc. trying to get into the Super Dome. Imagine if there had been a massive escape?

The zoos administrative staff and employees are to be congratulated. Maybe they should have been the ones to handle the emergency plans for New Orleans?

11 posted on 09/05/2005 7:53:28 PM PDT by CitizenM ("An excuse is worse than an lie, because an excuse is a lie hidden." Pope John Paul, II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

Who allowed them to have a whooping crane? I thought that these were absolutely off-limits to anyone but a few breeding programs.


12 posted on 09/05/2005 7:56:30 PM PDT by GSlob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

I'd say the zoo people should be in charge of Louisiana's emergency response system.


13 posted on 09/05/2005 8:07:43 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Yeah, they'll even inquire about you.


14 posted on 09/05/2005 8:08:38 PM PDT by niko05
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

After seeing the "leadership" of Nagin and Blanco, putting the zoo animals in charge of emergency response would be an improvement!


15 posted on 09/05/2005 8:10:10 PM PDT by sassbox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: apackof2

Or maybe the toxic water killed them


I thought that, too, went I read the article.


16 posted on 09/05/2005 8:56:50 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: sassbox

ROFL!!!


17 posted on 09/05/2005 9:11:25 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: niko05; dfwgator

Bum-bum, ba-duduh-du-du-duh...

:-D )))


18 posted on 09/05/2005 9:15:03 PM PDT by RichInOC ("The coffee is strong at Cafe du Monde, the doughnuts are too hot to touch..." Save the Big Greasy!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: metmom

It could have been the polluted water, or even (as strange as it sounds) exposure. River otters have very dense fur which insulates them well, however they must periodically dry out their fur or they will loose tremendous amounts of body heat. Combine the loss of body heat with their fast metabolism and hypothermia can quickly become a problem.

I was glad to read that Audubon Park made it through the storm OK. I work at a large midwestern zoo and we were worried about them.


19 posted on 09/05/2005 9:22:34 PM PDT by Miguel Alberto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Miguel Alberto

Boy, we here in NY sure know about wet clothes and heat loss, especially in the winter. You just don't think of it being a problem in a warm climate. Don't otters groom themselves a lot? I thought I've seen them doing that at our zoo. In that case I'd lean towards toxins or disease. Poor babies.


20 posted on 09/05/2005 9:28:34 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson