With Fay, The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was subjected to a downpour that lasted three days. One of the keepers says that he emptied a six inch rain gauge twice and the third time there was a inch or so of water left.For two nights the zoo's ride out team spent the evening checking on the animals, trees, fences, and life support systems. They also cleared the roads to allow other staff to work and helped with damage assessment. Having only a skeleton crew on Thursday and Friday, the zoo was cleaned up and open to the public by noon on Saturday.
The top photograph shows the Range of the Jaguar in the storm, with a cart in the background piled high with branches, where the horticultural staff were working in the rain to remove debris. The second photo shows a large storm drain on the Main Path with a barricade around it. At its peak, the water was over 18 inches deep at this location.
A little further down the Main Path, the third photo shows the washed out mulch, leaves, and mud that littered the entire area on Friday. In the last picture, staff are working rapidly on Saturday to get the zoo ready to open. Everybody pitched in to get the job done.
Photos by D. Messinger
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