San Antonio Zoo sends disaster response crew to Florida animal facilities damaged by hurricane

The San Antonio Zoo’s disaster response team hit the road Sunday to support Florida wildlife facilities damaged by Hurricane Ian, according to officials with the organization.

Ian slammed into Southwest Florida as a category four storm last week, rendering barrier islands off the coast of Fort Myers “unrecognizable” and leaving at least 100 people dead.

The San Antonio Zoo’s response team will help repair and restore zoos, aquariums and other facilities housing non-domestic animals in Punta Gorda, just north of Fort Myers, according to a KSAT report. Among other things, the crew will clear brush, repair damaged fencing and conduct electrical welding.

“Please join us in sending thoughts and prayer to all the animals and people affected by the storm,” San Antonio Zoo officials said in a press statement.

It’s not the first time the San Antonio Zoo has lent a helping hand following a natural disaster. The zoo set up its disaster response team in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, dispatching workers to work on Houston’s downtown aquarium and the Texas Zoo in Victoria.

More recently, the San Antonio Zoo dispatched crews to Louisiana to clean up after 2020's Hurricane Laura.

Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.