The Texas Zoo provides update on flooding near the park
Monster the sulcata tortoise basking in the sun looking forward to celebrating spooky season with all his friends
VICTORIA, Texas – The Texas Zoo is postponing the first weekend of its Haunted Zoo event due to flooding at Riverside Park. The Texas Zoo reports areas around the zoo are flooded, but the zoo is dry.
In a press release the zoo released the following information:
“We have postponed our reopening until the water around us has receded and it is once again safe for our guests to travel to the Zoo. Because The Texas Zoo is in an area prone to flooding during heavy storms, we proactively made improvements designed to protect our animals and staff. These include ensuring the structural integrity of a man made embankment—known as a berm—that surrounds the zoo, and a system to pump water out of the zoo. These are common precautions for coastal and riverside zoos. Protecting The Texas Zoo is only made possible with a dedicated team checking the perimeter water levels outside the berm and manning the pumps 24 hours a day. During potentially hazardous weather events, most zoos assemble what’s known as a “ride out team,” personnel that stay onsite around the clock to ensure their animals’ safety. For this event, our ride out team included administrative and maintenance personnel who worked in shifts, and animal care experts who monitored our animals’ welfare. Our keeper staff is being shuttled in and out of the zoo in high water vehicles because we wanted to ensure they slept well and provided normal routines during the day for our animals. Most of our animals have experienced no real change besides the lack of visitors. Their keepers are feeding them and providing them enrichment (items that stimulate their brains and natural instincts) on their normal daily schedules. The few animals that were moved to ensure their safety in case of flooding are enjoying environmental enrichment—exploring a new space with different sights, sounds, and smells. We appreciate the outpouring of support we have received for our animals and staff.Their safety, and that of our guests, is our highest priority.While we are disappointed to postpone this weekend’s Haunted Zoo event, we hope to be open again by next weekend.”
Lonestar and Two-Step LaMancha goats inspecting Haunted Zoo and Zoo Boo decorations and trimming the grass in anticipation of guests returning
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CROSSROADS TODAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
Discover more from Today Headline
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.