Animals remain calm as wildfires threaten Spanish zoo

The "Safari Madrid" zoo narrowly escaped disaster as wildfires swept through the region, leaving 77,000 hectares scorched. While the flames approached perilously close, the zoo's 2,000 animals remained largely unfazed, a significant relief for the dedicated staff.

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the night, the sky was red

Christian Cabrera, a 36-year-old veterinarian, described the terrifying experience, with the night sky glowing red from the approaching inferno. His team's "absolute priority" was the safety of the animals, leading to "hours of real terror" as they fought to contain the situation. Most of the larger animals, including big cats, were kept in shelters, while others like deer and camels remained in open enclosures where the lack of grass prevented the fire from reaching them.

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absolute priority

Despite the smoke, sirens, and emergency vehicle activity, animals such as tigers, elephants, and rhinos remained calm. Only the naturally timid giraffes showed signs of stress, struggling to eat normally. Cabrera noted that dealing with panicked animals would have added immense difficulty to an already dire situation. The zoo, which normally has 26 keepers, had to operate with just four during the peak of the crisis, with Cabrera himself getting little sleep for five days.

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hours of real terror

"We were very scared because we are responsible for these animals," Cabrera stated, emphasizing the deep connection keepers have with their charges. Evacuating large animals like elephants is a months-long process, with even anesthesia taking 10 hours. Fortunately, the firefighters' efforts were successful, and the zoo was spared. The surrounding landscape, once lush, is now a stark, blackened testament to the fire's destructive power. Safari Madrid reopened its gates on Wednesday morning after a six-day closure, with visitors observing the placid lions and sunbathing alligators.

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peureuses