Zoo News: Rainy days only make sunny days better | News, Sports, Jobs

Last Friday’s rain created an interesting twist for zoo staff and many animals. After enduring a long winter and doing a great job watching over the animals through thick and thin, we were more than ready for winter’s end. It was great to see the animals outside and the crowds filling the aisles. The sounds of school bands drowned out the honking of nesting Canada geese. Life in the zoo was going in the right direction for both man and beast. Then came the rain.

Friday’s rain started early in the morning and the forecast called for rain throughout the day. Of course we expected the rain to continue, but I don’t think anyone thought it would continue to fall hard all day. By early afternoon, it was obvious he wasn’t going to stop. The staff cleaned the storm drains to no avail as the pipes were simply too full to take on more water. As the keepers continued to watch over the animals, there were those who took advantage of the rain and flooded the enclosures.

The baby tigers had a great time as the water rose in their enclosure. They chased each other and crashed into the flooded habitat. It was hot, humid and an underwater playground for them to romp and run. Zoya and Viktor weren’t as impressed with the continuous rain, but like human parents, it’s hard to see the world the way our children do. Across the zoo campus, everyone from otters and camels on the north side to bears on the south side reveled in the continuous rain.

But as some reveled in the continuous rain, others weren’t so enthusiastic. For Milo the rabbit, water encroached on his barn space, so staff moved him to a space inside the Outreach building until water started seeping into that barn. space. She was eventually transferred to the reception center auditorium. Yes, Milo is a girl.

The only other animals that had to be moved were the ground hornbills as the floor space in their enclosure continued to shrink. Throughout the day, rain-soaked staff continued to watch over the animals, pumping water from enclosures threatened with flooding and ensuring animals confined to their holding areas had everything they needed. . It wasn’t like last year’s blizzard, but it could have been just as bad.

On Mother’s Day, the sun came out brilliantly with animals and guests. As a farming community, rain is almost always a welcome change, but perhaps in smaller doses. The zoo will certainly be grateful for the rain once the grass is laid in the new Amur Leopard Forest exhibit. With so much construction going on in the future, you can bet the staff will be keeping an eye on the skies as summer approaches because before we know it, winter will once again be their main concern. But until then, we will hay while the sun shines and do our best to live up to the expectations of the animals and our guests.