I visited the St. Aug. Alligator Farm yesterday while on my way to Jacksonville. Some trees and prominent boughs of oak trees appear to be missing, and the bird rookery seems to have lost much of it's foliage. Keepers told me that the park had to be closed for three days after Hurricane Frances in order for them to clean up to downed trees, shrubs and general debris.
The only other difference I noticed is that the o. tetraspi and c. mindorensis specimens have been moved off display.
The keepers I spoke with didn't know why.
I look forward to going back when this meteorological mess is done with.
Friends of mine who work at the Jacksonville Zoo are already herding animals into enclosures before the possible strike of Hurricane Ivan.
