St. Louis Zoo scrambles animals, 10,000 visitors to safety as EF-3 tornado leaves trail of damage
The greater St. Louis metro region is facing unimaginable loss and a long recovery after a strong tornado carved a 23-mile path of destruction through the city, leaving five dead and damages estimated at over $1 billion.
The tornado just brushed the north of the St. Louis Zoo, which suffered significant wind damage throughout the historic property.
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St. Louis Zoo Director Michael Macek said the zoo staff didn't wait for a Tornado Warning to prepare for the storm. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility has an emergency plan for about every situation, including animal escapes, fires and weather events.
"The morning was a beautiful day. In fact, even after the tornado came through, the sun came out, and it was a beautiful afternoon," Macek said. "As the weather was approaching, we'd let everybody know. We just made sure they had all their radios on. They had their landlines, you know, volume up. And they have their mobiles on for any kind of messaging related to a tornado warning or watch."
Even before the National Weather Service issued the Tornado Watch, animal caretakers were using recall techniques to ensure the animals were back inside their enclosed areas.
Not all animals were inside ahead of the storm. The Asian elephants had their own tornado drill.
"So you can imagine a big animal. If you're on land, you could potentially take a lot of projectiles," Macek said. "So they actually instinctively go into the water. So they went into the pool during the course of the biggest, hardest, hardest winds, and then they came back out."
Herding animals wasn't the only challenge; zoo staff also needed to ensure the shelter of all 10,000 visitors. Throughout the zoo, there are areas considered safe severe weather zones.
"Our team members could be bringing people into the administration building, into the basement," Macek said. "We had approximately 70 people in the basement of our reptile house. There were people in our bathrooms, which are all just cinder blocks, no windows."
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After the storm passed, Macek said it was apparent from the damage that the zoo needed to close. The staff then evacuated all the guests who had sheltered from the storm throughout the zoo.
Macek said the recently renovated solarium in the Herpatrium was damaged, and some perimeter fencing was knocked down.
The roof of the Zoo's Ann Lee Butterfly Wing was also damaged during the storm. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House at the Missouri Botanical Garden in Chesterfield swooped in and took in butterflies, chrysalids and cocoons needing a temporary spot.
Macek said it took about two days to collect all the butterflies.
"If you're a proficient butterfly netter, it's not so complicated and our team is pretty proficient at it," he said.
The most significant loss is the trees throughout the zoo. Macek estimates that about 100 trees, some more than 100 years old, fell in the storm.
"That's an incredible shame," Macek said.
On Monday, about 70% of the zoo campus reopened, and Macek hopes the full zoo will be open by Memorial Day weekend.Original article source: St. Louis Zoo scrambles animals, 10,000 visitors to safety as EF-3 tornado leaves trail of damage
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Track Erin's progress Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change and the environment for USA TODAY. She's written about hurricanes, tornadoes and violent weather for more than 30 years. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
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