Fort Worth Zoo prepares to keep animals safe during winter storm

Preparations were in full swing at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday and Friday to keep the animals safe and warm during the upcoming winter storm.

Zookeepers are adding nesting material to bird houses, stocking barns with extra hay and collecting enrichment items for the animals to use indoors, spokesperson Avery Elander told the Star-Telegram in an email. Some of the animals that live in outdoor habitats, including the critically endangered Pan’s Box Turtle, have been moved inside.

The nutrition team is prepping and delivering food to the zookeepers so each animal will have exactly what they need available.

“Whether it’s the hot, hot days in the summer or the frigid air in the winter, our teams expect extreme temps throughout the year and this week, have sprung into action to take the necessary steps to ensure the animals are appropriately cared for and the park is prepared during this storm,” Elander said.

Members of the Zoo’s engineering and operations teams are fueling generators, testing heaters throughout the property, taking down awnings that could be damaged by ice and insulating exposed water lines.

“As always, our security team is onsite 24/7 and we will have additional zookeepers and animal care staff staying overnight to care for the animals,” Elander said.