FRANKFORD, Del. - A severe blizzard left Coastal Wilds Zoo without power for 44 hours, causing significant damage to the facility.
During the outage, staff used generators to maintain heat and ensure animal safety. The storm brought down large tree limbs, damaged fencing and caused a complete roof collapse at the zoo’s lynx enclosure under heavy snow and high winds.
A severe blizzard damaged Coastal Wilds Zoo, knocking out power for 44 hours and collapsing the lynx enclosure, though no injuries were reported. (Coastal Wilds.)
Power has since been restored with assistance from Zoo Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery - ZDR3 USA and generator support from Plumpton Park Zoo.
No injuries were reported. The lynx, Sasha, is being housed in a temporary holding area while the enclosure is rebuilt. The entire roof system will need to be reconstructed to ensure long-term stability. Repair costs for the enclosure alone are estimated at a minimum of $7,000.
In addition to the enclosure damage, the storm led to ongoing expenses for generator fuel, emergency heating and repairs related to storm strain on fencing and facility systems. Total recovery costs are estimated at $12,000. Recovery efforts are ongoing.
The zoo has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover recovery costs.