OKC zoo closed today, tomorrow up in the air

The director of the Oklahoma City Zoo likely will announce early tomorrow morning whether the zoo will open Wednesday, a spokeswoman said.

The zoo is closed today, and non-essential staff aren’t coming to work, zoo spokeswoman Tara Henson said. However, some staff members still have to come to feed and care for the animals. Other info Henson said:

• The zoo closed early yesterday so staff had extra time to go home ahead of the winter weather.
• The ice isn’t so heavy that it’s breaking tree limbs. Broken trees and other horticulture is especially dangerous at a zoo. While the cleanup can be difficult and hazardous, broken tree limbs can provide an escape route over a fence. Damaged plants can also damage habitat fences.
• A few animals, such as sensitive bird species, are being kept inside.
• Other animals, particularly snow leopards, hoof-stock and and water fowl, are loving the cold temperatures.
• Zookeepers are spending more time with some animals who have limited outdoor time. They’re giving them more toys to play with and more mentally-stimulating activities to prevent boredom.
• Water habitats for seals, sea lions and other animals are temperature-controlled year-round.
• Backup generators guarantee power even during an outage.

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