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As a menacing wildfire in Griffith Park early Friday crept closer to the zoo, officials shut the place down to some of its animals to safe harbor. The LA Times reported that the lemurs were some of the first animals, while zoo staffers evacuated feathered cast members of the zoo's bird show along with some smaller species.
This, of course, is hardly the first time a zoo or animal shelter has gotten to whisk their people away from danger. Ranch horses and grazing cattle being moved out of harm's way to become common images as wildfires across the western United States grow each year in size and ferocity. So what are some of the ins and outs of moving animals out of the path of hurricanes, fires and other natural disasters?
What are the first steps in the process of evacuating zoo animals?
In the case of the Zoo evacuation, officials started monitoring the air for smoke that is dangerous for animals to breathe. Meanwhile, some zoo workers are preparing to be moved, just in case, while others have been helped.
Where did they take the animals that were moved?
By Friday afternoon, the fire crews were getting the fire contained in the zoo, the Daily Breeze reported. "We turned on our sprinkler systems, and our ground maintenance staff began hosing the hillside by hand. It does not appear that the conditions for the animals are on the site, but it is not necessary to monitor the conditions, "the zoo said in a statement, adding that it was not necessary to move the animals outside Griffith Park. "Based on the proximity of the fire, we moved some animals as a precautionary measure. The animals are now on their way back to their habitats. At this time, we have an estimate of birds or primates that have been moved. "
Did zoo animals come to be evacuated ahead of Hurricane Florence earlier this year?
Yes. Officials at the North Carolina Zoo were faced with a huge dilemma in September in Florence. How could they do with 1,600 animals? The AP reported that staffers scrambled to move elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees and hundreds of other species indoors to the storm, and its strong winds and rain, got closer.
How did they do it?
Zoo spokeswoman Diane Villa told the AP that some of the bigger zoo residents, like the bison and elk, were placed in outdoor pens because they do not like being stuck in fully enclosed spaces. Some animals were placed in barns on-site.
Were the animals left on their own?
No. In this case, a group of staffers, including park rangers and vets, residing behind the animals as the hurricane passed over. "Most of the animals, they do know how to take care of themselves," spokesman told the reporter. "The ones we're concerned about being cared for inside."
Which animals were they most worried about?
The report mentioned two chimpanzees named Ruthie and Nori who had zookeepers concerned. Since then, the staff has been assigned to close by the chemps.
Do all zoos have evacuation plans in place?
Here in California, zoos and animal parks have had decades of practice – and plenty of first-hand experience. Take the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a major tourist attraction that was originally called the San Diego Wild Animal Park. A 2007 CBS report described how to run wild in Southern California to get the best of it. As the report said, the park is surrounded by coastal scrub, highly flammable and a clear and present danger to the facility. "Since 1993, the park has put its animal evacuation plan into action twice," said CBS. "During the 1993 fire, the California Condors were in harm's way in the outer reaches of the park." Michael Mace, the zoo's curator of birds at the time, told the station: staff and protocols to follow. We can catch all the birds and move them to a different part of the park. " "Mace said," Because it would be impractical, if not impossible, to catch a bird that is in a wide walk-through aviary . "
What other calamities must a zoo be prepared for?
Along with its seasonal wildfires, California's zoos face another terrifying scenario: a major earthquake. Oakland Zoo, for example, is directly related to the Hayward Fault which experts say it is destined to experience another sizable quake. Zoos everywhere have emergency drills in quake-prone California those undoubtedly include plans for earthquakes. As Carla Hall wrote in the LA Times last year, "unlike a fire, an earthquake gives you no real warnings to react to, and so zoos instead have to focus on making fallout as painless as possible. "Oakland Zoo, because of its vulnerable location, is part of the city of Oakland's formal disaster-response plans," so that that coordination does not have to be figured out after the fact. "
What sort of things are included in a zoo-evacuation plan?
One major concern during an emergency evacuation is that an animal somehow gets loose. Look at the plan that the North Carolina Zoo had in place back in 2014. They called it "Animal Escape Preparedness Plan" and its goal was to "develop best practices, tools, training and drills" aspects of a recapture plan should an escape occur. Drills of this procedure will be conducted at least twice per year. A maximum of one actual escape response per year (if they occur) can be counted as a drill. "
What should a zoo do if one of its animals somehow goes missing during evacuation?
In the North Carolina Zoo's plan, it all starts with the initial report: "The employee reports the escape should remain calm, speak deliberately and provide the following information to the best of their knowledge." of the following information as possible about the escape: Name of reporting employee, location, along with "the species of escaped animal. ("the exact species is not known for use in the case of a large bear, large cat, antelope, etc.)" The zoo will also try and find answers to these questions: "The number of escaped animals observed, exact location of animal ( s), direction of animal (s) movement, condition and behavior of animal (injured, panicked, running, etc.), any humans injured by the escaped animal. "
Is not it sometimes better to do nothing?
That's true. At times, said MIami Zoo spokesman Ron Magill, it's safer to not start moving all over the place to hurricane approaches, which happens all too often in South Florida. "These storms can change at the last minute, so you can end up evacuating animals into the hurricane zone," Magill told the website VetStreet back in 2014. injuries and even death. So sometimes, say some zoo officials, it's better to hunker down and make sure the animals are in a protected space where they can ride out the storm. Of course, staying put is not always an option. "At Miami Zoo, for example, the flamingos normally inhabit wide, open exhibits," said the report. During Andrew Hurricane in 1992, staff brainstormed the perfect emergency shelter for the tall waterfowl: the zoo's public bathrooms. 'They are big, concrete rooms with no windows,' said Magill. 'And they're all tile floors, so they're easy to clean, and the restroom provides fresh water for the birds.' "
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