Zoo Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery - ZDR3 USA

Zoo Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery - ZDR3 USA ZDR3 is the only zoological disaster response organization in the United States

The National Hurricane Center is currently tracking Potential Tropical Cyclone One in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. T...
06/17/2026

The National Hurricane Center is currently tracking Potential Tropical Cyclone One in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to move generally northeastward over the next 12–24 hours.

While some uncertainty remains regarding its development, heavy rainfall and flooding impacts are expected across portions of Texas and Louisiana, regardless of its eventual classification.

Current forecasts call for widespread rainfall, with isolated amounts up to 12 inches possible. Flash flooding and urban flooding remain the primary concerns.
Additional hazards may include minor storm surge, rough surf, rip currents, and isolated tornadoes along portions of the Gulf Coast.

For zoological facilities, heavy rainfall events can create a range of operational challenges, including access limitations, staffing disruptions, utility impacts, localized flooding, and interruptions to normal operations.

Early-season tropical systems serve as an important reminder to review emergency plans, monitor local forecasts, and ensure preparedness measures are in place before conditions deteriorate.

ZDR3 will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate with network facilities as needed.

These events also underscore the importance of staying connected before disaster strikes. The ZDR3 Network is built on the idea that no facility should face an emergency alone. Through preparedness, information sharing, resource coordination, and professional support, network participants help strengthen the zoological community's ability to assist facilities affected by disasters and other emergencies.

If your facility is not yet part of the ZDR3 Network, we invite you to join us. Learn how in the link in comments, or in Linktree in our About section.

By becoming involved, you help expand a growing community of professionals committed to supporting one another and ensuring help is available when it is needed most.

We are Stronger Together

Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3) is the only zoological response organization in the United Sta...
06/11/2026

Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3) is the only zoological response organization in the United States.

ZDR3 is an inclusive network that partners with all industry business models, including zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, outreach educators, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and conservation breeding centers representing a range of accreditation and membership groups.

Our goal is simple: to foster a network of professionals willing to work together to protect non-domesticated animals facing hazardous conditions.

No facility is too small to join our network.

Joining the network does NOT obligate you to provide personnel or other resources for any response.

There is no cost to join ZDR3.

We are Stronger Together

Learn more with the link in comments or in Linktree in our About section.

06/08/2026

Thank you to Tier 1 Sponsor Fort Worth Zoo!

Sponsors dedicated to our cause make it possible for ZDR3 to carry out the mission of providing aid to zoological facilities, aquariums, sanctuaries, and wildlife centers before, during, and after disasters and crises.

We are Stronger Together

Happy National Zoo and Aquarium Month to the zoological professionals who ensure the animals at their institutions lead ...
06/04/2026

Happy National Zoo and Aquarium Month to the zoological professionals who ensure the animals at their institutions lead comfortable and enriched lives—and that their visitors have meaningful experiences. Zoos and aquariums play a vital role in wildlife education and conservation.

ZDR3 assists facilities before, during, and after disasters. Our goal is to ensure the safety of staff, animals, and the community while we help them get back to what they do best.

We are Stronger Together

06/01/2026

Eastern Pacific hurricane season: May 15 - November 30
Atlantic and Central Pacific hurricane season: June 1 - November 30.

Long-range forecasts suggest strong or “super” El Niño conditions. This usually suppresses hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin while increasing activity in the central and eastern Pacific.

ZDR3 monitors weather throughout the U.S. and its territories 24/7. This year we boosted our situational awareness with Baron Weather Logic, which provides real-time radar, storm tracking, predictive modeling, and severe weather alerts for specific locations.

If your zoological facility is not yet a member of the ZDR3 Network, this is a good time to join: whether you want to offer assistance to colleagues facing their worst day, or find yourself in a position of having to ask for help.

There is no cost to join or receive assistance, and no obligation to participate in a response.

Learn how to join in the link in comments, or in Linktree in our About section.

We are Stronger Together

On National Heat Awareness Day we are joining the Occupational Safety and Health Authority - OSHA and the U.S. National ...
05/29/2026

On National Heat Awareness Day we are joining the Occupational Safety and Health Authority - OSHA and the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) to alert workers, employers, and the public at large about the (preventable) health dangers related to heat.

This day was founded as a reminder that many outdoor workers are at risk of serious heat-induced conditions like heat exhaustion, dehydration, heatstroke, and even death.

Zoological colleagues who work in high-heat conditions at their workplace are usually mindful of the symptoms. During responses, which are most common during summer storm season, ZDR3 staff work with responders to stay hydrated and take needed breaks.

In the heat, when we work hard, we must also work smart.

We are Stronger Together

05/26/2026

Thank you to Tier 3 Sponsor Monterey Zoo & Vision Quest!

Sponsors dedicated to our cause make it possible for ZDR3 to carry out the mission of providing aid to zoological facilities, aquariums, and sanctuaries before, during, and after disasters and crises.

We are Stronger Together

We welcome routine inquiries by email at admin@zdr3.org or by phone at (910) 248-4132 during normal business hours. Keep...
05/21/2026

We welcome routine inquiries by email at [email protected] or by phone at (910) 248-4132 during normal business hours. Keeping these channels in mind helps ensure our emergency line is available for urgent situations requiring immediate coordination and support.

For urgent assistance, our ZDR3 emergency contact line is available for calls, texts, and emails, depending on your preference.
- Text with basic information we need to assist you
- Call for personalized assistance and support.
- Email details about your situation.

All communication channels are actively monitored by ZDR3 staff, ensuring an immediate response to provide aid as needed.

Your safety matters. We’re here to support you whenever the unexpected occurs.

We are Stronger Together

During Wildfire Awareness Month, we encourage you to consider how prepared you are to protect your facility in case of f...
05/19/2026

During Wildfire Awareness Month, we encourage you to consider how prepared you are to protect your facility in case of fire. ZDR3 has previously responded to wildfires, which requires extensive interagency coordination. One helpful resource is the National Interagency Fire Center. Their website (which you can find in comments below or in Linktree on our About page) includes information that can help you develop or hone your plan.

When we were responding to a wildfire in California that required evacuating animals from a zoological facility, we consulted some of our wildfire subject matter experts (SME), including Dale Anderson and Wendy Debbas. Their insights were invaluable.

Dale founded Project Survival's Cat Haven, which is a wildfire prone area of California—and Wendy is the organization’s president. They have dealt with wildfire threats for years, including one fire that caused them to evacuate their facility’s animals.

We appreciate Dale and Wendy for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that—despite their expertise gained from experience—they are always interested in learning more about how to manage wildfire threats. To that end, last year they participated in a coordinated exercise hosted regionally, including federal, state, and disaster response partners, as well as facilities of all sizes.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but wanted to go to learn anything more I could about fire safety and specifically about evacuation,” says Wendy. “The drill that was created was realistic, intense and well thought out. It brought me back to the day of our fire evacuation in 2015. I will be using some of the same ideas in our next practice fire drill.”

That’s something else we appreciate about Dale and Wendy: they conduct frequent fire safety drills with their staff to ensure everyone understands how to protect themselves and the animals.

“Participating in an exercise gives you an opportunity to simulate situations you might encounter,” Dale explains. “It allows you to have time to think through the action required and see different options as wild card scenarios are added. As they say, ‘Practice makes perfect.’ Being in a real fire evacuation and seeing problems that could have been averted makes drills worth doing. Knowing who is assigned to jobs and understanding the whole picture can make everyone more comfortable if the fire is coming for you.”

When possible, ZDR3 helps facilitate ZDR3 Network facilities participating in learning opportunities and coordinated exercises. If you are an agency or organization that hosts exercises, and you would like to engage zoological subject matter experts in your region, please contact [email protected]

We are Stronger Together

Some weather events leave a site hazardous for staff to navigate. In this case, downed trees in a forest habitat took do...
05/15/2026

Some weather events leave a site hazardous for staff to navigate. In this case, downed trees in a forest habitat took down fences that contained the animals, and left precariously dangling branches. So one of the first tasks ZDR3 responders tackled required experienced chainsaw operators.

We approach every plan with one guiding question: What ensures the best possible outcomes for the animals while safeguarding the people who care for them?

We are Stronger Together

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1989 Colonial Pkwy
Fort Worth, TX
76110

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