Sheet metal torn from the roof of an enclosure lays in front of a tiger enclosure at the Center for Animal Research and Education in Bridgeport after storms impacted the facility. ALEXIS BISHOP | WCMESSENGER
Wild weather impacted some of Wise County’s wildest residents this weekend.
Straight-line winds Saturday destroyed one enclosure and damaged 11 others at the Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE) in Bridgeport.
The non-profit organization provides long-term care of more than 60 animals including mountain lions, tigers, leopards, bobcats, ring-tail lemurs, margay, lynx, lions, llamas and even a tortoise.
No animals were injured in the storm and all have been found safe. Still, CARE director Heidi Krahn said the damage was extensive. Additionally, there were several downed trees on the property.
“We have a long road,” Krahn said. “Unfortunately, the lemur house was destroyed.”
The storm scattered debris throughout the 22-acre property, and the wind was strong enough to sweep a tractor tire into a tree.
Krahn said around 100 people, including supporters and volunteers, worked all day Sunday to clear trees and other debris with chainsaws.
Staff help remove fallen tree limbs Monday at the Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE) in Bridgeport after the nonprofit was impacted by storms over the weekend. Around 100 worked to clear downed trees and other damage over the weekend. ALEXIS BISHOP | WCMESSENGER
The lemurs have since been relocated indoors to the sun room of the facility. Video posted on the CARE Facebook page showed the group lemurs relaxing in their temporary home, outfitted with a television and several windows to monitor the activity outside.
Despite rumors that some of the large cats may have escaped their enclosures, all were accounted for Saturday night. Wise County Pct. 4 commissioner Colby Shawn, who responded to the scene with Wise County Emergency Management Coordinator Cody Powell Saturday night to ensure that all the big cats were accounted for, said that the area was hit especially hard by this weekend’s weather.
“This was 100 times worse than the tornado two months ago,” Shawn said. “Just massive tree damage across a large portion of precinct 4.”
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