Billabong Sanctuary Ranger on how to prepare a zoo for a cyclone

Published Jan 25, 2024, 5:30 AM

Billabong Sanctuary Ranger on how to prepare a zoo for a cyclone.

 

Cyclone preparation is serious business, as we know. But while communities across North Queensland have been getting ready, one group of residents has some need for some extra care.

And our next guest has had the job of getting a whole zoo's worth of animals out of harms Way. Joining us now is ranging youngman from Billabong Sanctuary south of Townsville, along with Puzzle.

Good morning to you, Nick.

Just give us an idea I guess of how concerned you are at the moment and who you have there with you, and also the amount of animals that would need to be removed from Harm's Way.

Yeah, good morning guys.

We have over one hundred animals here and Puzzle included or getting very nervous with this wind. Crops are getting much more aggressive, birds are freaking out. So we're bringing everyone indoors now that we can. Starting to really get nervous here with the storm coming, right.

So they noticed. We know animals are very very perceptive, don't we So they notice the approaching storm, the wind, or just the feeling in the air.

Yeah.

Absolutely, I think the crops can sense. At first, you see their behavior change and Puzzle earshes keeping an eye out over the billibong now over the wind. So all the animals are definitely sensing what's coming.

So what do you do with them?

Where do you put them?

That's the hard part, isn't it. With so many animals. Pretty much everything we can fit inside. We've got some secure rooms out back, all our koala's wombats, everything that can fit out there will Some of the bigger animals, like the crocs, they'll just have to face the weather.

Yeah, so what does that mean? You've got rising sea levels, You've got a whole lot of rain headed your way as well. What about those crops? Could they end up loose?

No, that won't happen. So we will keep an eye on all of them.

But certainly the issue is how we're going to get back into those enclosures and once those floodwaters come up around here, especially with the billibong behind me and the other crop keepers are going to have to be very cautious and how we check on things after that cyclone passes.

Yeah, yeah, I don't really want an angry, frustrating crop, do you?

Is puzzle? And the little coal is okay?

Hello?

Yeah? The koalas they will be coming out back soon.

We're just giving them their breakfast now and then they'll be coming out back where it's safe from the winds.

You touched on the wind picking up a little bit there, Are you noticing that now?

Yeah?

Absolutely, just in the past half hour. In fact, it's really starting to pick up here, as you might be able to see behind me.

Okay, And it's going to hit around midnight. Does that make it more difficult when the sun sets?

Yeah?

Absolutely, and there'll be some of us on site, but I mean we won't be able to see much in the dark and when it's passing over us. Yeah.

Okay.

Well, Nick, thank you very much for your time.

Good luck.

We know you've got a lot to do you and everyone there at Billabong Sanctuary. We will keep in contact with you by puzzle see your puzzle.

Thanks Nick, Thanks guys, appreciate it.

M HM.

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