So I am from Duluth, which just experienced devastating flooding after we received 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured or killed, but there is a lot of damage. Federal aid is hopefully on the way...
But one of the heart string pullers (and main national stories) out of this event is the story of our beloved Lake Superior Zoo. It experienced extreme flash flooding to the point where 2/3 of it was under water, up to 14 ft deep in places. Unfortunately, several animals died in the flood including most of the barnyard animals and a snowy owl. At one point, the seals and polar bear were out of their exhibit. The polar bear was thankfully found right next to it's enclosure and was safely darted and brought to safety. The seals were also found safe and sound, although one ended up on nearby Grand Avenue. Thank god somebody found it and stayed with it so that it wouldn't get hit by a car until authorities/zoo officials arrived.
Anyhow, this zoo has just recently been getting back on it's feet after a few years of financial struggles. It just got its accreditation back, it has been adding new animals and making improvements. This flood is devastating...I am not sure how it is going to recover, but I (and everyone else in the area) will be damned if we will lose it without a fight. Below is a link to donate to our awesome little zoo. Just trying to spread it around wherever I can, every little bit helps. I know personally this zoo means a lot to me, it's the only one in the area and my family and I have an annual membership each year, as my kids enjoy it so much and we are only 5 minutes away.
Zoo's Flood Relief Effort
No comments:
Post a Comment