Among the casualties were a chimpanzee, many monkeys, some lemurs and countless birds.
The sanctuary must decide which animals it can save
After the power went out early Monday, Chavez and her team of 12 sprang to action.
But as temperatures plummeted further, the plan moved from preservation to evacuation.
“I’ve never faced a decision like this,” Chavez told the newspaper. “Having to decide who we can save, depending on the predictability of which animals we can catch.”
It was while mobilizing for transport that the team began to find dead animals.
“Someone asked me how many animals have died. I don’t know yet,” Chavez said. “I know we lost lots of monkeys, lemurs and tropical birds.”
Still, many of the sanctuary’s residents were evacuated.
Some went to the San Antonio Zoo and a sanctuary near the Oklahoma border. Others went to the homes of volunteers.
The freeze, and the tragedies, continue
The storm sweeping Texas is dangerous not only for its cold temperatures, but for the length of the cold without reprieve.
Continuous freezing temperatures don’t allow houses and buildings to warm up naturally, and without power, Texans are forced to improvise for warmth.
Tragedies continue and death tolls rise as the state braces for more extreme weather.