Zoo grateful for public support after devastating blaze
CHESTER Zoo has said it is “devastated” by the loss of some of its animals in a fire at the weekend, as supporters helped it smash a fundraising target.
Members of the public donated more than £50,000 online in little more than 24 hours after the blaze broke out on Saturday.
The money will help the zoo recover from the fire, which destroyed much of a vast roof covering its Monsoon Forest area.
In a statement on its website, chief operating officer Jamie Christon said the fire was one of the “toughest days” in the the zoo’s history.
He said no staff or public were hurt in the fire, which was eventually brought under control by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service crews.
Visitors were evacuated and keepers were able to move all the zoo’s mammal species to safety – including its group of critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, Sulawesi macaques, endangered silvery gibbons and birds such as rhinoceros hornbills.
“We are, though, devastated to say that we were unable to save some of our insects, frogs, fish and small birds who were located near to the outbreak of the fire,” Mr Christon said. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking to lose any animal, especially when conservationists have worked so hard to breed these wonderful species.
“New homes have been found within the zoo for all of the animals that were led to safety and our teams are working around the clock to relocate them as soon as possible.”
Zoo staff had been working to account for all species at the attraction after the blaze tore through the plastic material covering the Monsoon Forest enclosure.
Orangutans, gibbons, crocodiles, turtles and exotic birds were among the species housed in the artificial habitat designed to mimic a south-east Asian environment.
The zoo said it had been inundated with messages from people asking how they could give support.
Mr Christon wrote: “The strength and support from the public has been incredibly overwhelming and the messages of goodwill have been of great comfort to our teams.
“We will support each other in rebuilding this part of the zoo and continue our mission of preventing extinction.”
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident after it was called to the zoo fire shortly before 11.30am on Saturday.