How zoos are preparing animals for this weekend's massive winter storm

"In Texas, the Houston Zoo has prepared its buildings and barns with heaters designed to withstand extreme conditions, the zoo said in a blog post on Friday. Animals will have access to extra hay and bedding, and food was stocked in advance. Across the Zoo, sensitive plants are being protected with coverings, and generators are positioned to provide backup power if needed, the blog post said."

"Elsewhere in the state, the Dallas Zoo reportedly plans to bring many of its animals indoors and to ramp up enrichment activities like caretaker trainings, food puzzles and nature sounds. Humans can stay inside and watch Netflix, said zoo curator Keith Zdrojewski to the Dallas Morning News. When animals are inside for days, it can get pretty boring for them."

"Meanwhile in Cincinnati, animal care staff plan to stay at the zoo overnight to keep an eye on the animals, according to the Cincinnati Zoo. And in Washington, D.C., if temperatures dip below 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius), as they are currently projected to do, species at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, including Asian small-clawed otters, brown pelicans, orangutans and gorillas, will likely be taken indoors, too, according to the zoo's standard procedures."

Millions across the U.S. face a massive winter storm with plummeting temperatures, catastrophic ice accumulation, freezing rain and heavy snow expected. Zoos nationwide are enacting preparations to protect animals, plants and facilities. The Houston Zoo equipped buildings and barns with heaters able to withstand extreme conditions, stocked food, added extra hay and bedding, covered sensitive plants and positioned generators for backup power. The Dallas Zoo plans to bring many animals indoors and increase enrichment like caretaker training, food puzzles and nature sounds. Fort Worth moved endangered Pan’s box turtles indoors, Cincinnati staff will stay overnight to monitor animals, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will move temperature-sensitive species indoors below 35°F.

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