Memphis Zoo to re-evaluate severe weather protocol just after wallaby goes lacking

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A wallaby at the Memphis Zoo that went missing Wednesday evening just after weighty rain flooded a zoo exhibit was observed alive on zoo grounds Friday.

The news came Friday morning immediately after a virtually 36-hour research for the missing animal.

The wallaby, whose name is confirmed as Honey Bunch, was found near Rainbow Lake on the border of the zoo and Overton Park.

That individual location is an undeveloped, wooded location of zoo house, offering the wallaby a lot of areas to disguise, but the rain, which brought on the entire ordeal, also helped zoo staff find it.

Footprints in the mud, discovered by a Memphis zoo worker, assisted convey an conclusion to the lookup.

“…and they explained ‘that seems to be like wallaby tracks,’ explained Executive Vice President for Memphis Zoo Matt Thompson, describing a zoo worker’s response to identifying the tracks.

The tracks finally led to Honey Bunch, the virtually 2-12 months-aged wallaby which is to be component of a V.I.P. knowledge in the zoo’s KangaZoo experience that opens later on this month.

“We asked zoo workers to arrive and fundamentally kind a human chain, form of like a wall, and just sort of make guaranteed the animal moved back towards the exhibit in a quite managed way,” Thompson described.

The wallaby went lacking right after hefty rains Wednesday became also significantly for the zoo’s close by spillway, commonly referred to at the zoo as Lick Creek.

“Water just rose particularly immediately. And so, we were pulling animals up from the exhibit as fast as we could,” Thompson recalled. “One of the animals turned unaccounted for.”

Thompson explained now that Honey Bunch has been uncovered, the zoo’s prime priority is re-evaluating its extreme climate protocol.

“If there is any trace of flooding coming, we will just take distinctive steps, most likely go the animals, and in the foreseeable future we might or may perhaps not use this piece of land,” the EVP mentioned.

During the working day, news of Honey Bunch was all the excitement with zoogoers.

“I’m delighted,” stated eight-12 months outdated Bryleigh Schroyer.

“I was terrified to loss of life. I imagined he drowned,” explained zoo member Marie Barnes.

“We listened to about it on the way, on the way up here,” said zoo patron Shelton Todd.

“I’m glad he’s found,” stated Grace Rowland, celebrating her 11th birthday at the zoo.

“The conclusion outcome is incredibly pleased,” Thompson stated. “The animal is alive, and once more we cannot thank absolutely everyone more than enough for their help.”

We were advised Honey Bunch is in fantastic health and is currently being observed by zoo health professionals to more verify that.

The KangaZoo show is a newer component of the zoo, only staying a seasonal exhibit considering that March 20221.

Thompson reported the zoo is monitoring the acceptance of the attraction, and if it proves to be enough they will increase a lasting show in potentially a various element of the zoo, one that ideally doesn’t flood.

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