Lions, Reindeer And Sheep, Oh My! Zoo Prepares To Evacuate As Fire Burns Close
As the massive Thomas Fire burs in California, the Santa Barbara Zoo's elaborate evacuation plan involves 150 species, tranquilizers and maybe even throwing a towel over an alligator's head.
Chadwick the African Lion gets up slowly from a late morning nap in a spot of warm sunshine that's become somewhat of a rarity in these often smoke-filled days here at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
"He's a very majestic older lion," Dr. Julie Barnes, director of Animal Care and Health at the Santa Barbara Zoo tells a visitor. "He's 19-years old so he is definitely geriatric at this time. But he is very beloved here by the people who work at the zoo and by our visitors."
The thick-maned
