“We can count on each other in good and bad times”
Editor’s note: Kathy Diekman is the Director of the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton, North Dakota. She was among the northern ZDR3 Network members from whom we sought guidance for southern zoos facing extreme winter weather. The following is an article she wrote for the Wahpeton Daily News on January 31, 2026; they granted ZDR3 permission to reprint it on our blog.
Why does the zoological industry need a specialized disaster response organization?
“As natural disasters and abnormal weather events continue to intensify and increase in frequency, zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and similar businesses are exposed to heightened risk. Zoological facilities maintain disaster preparedness plans to safeguard their irreplaceable collections of wildlife and exotic animals, but severe situations can overwhelm even the most well-prepared facility’s resources and recovery capacity. This is where ZDR3 comes in: we lead a whole-industry network of experts that provides both remote support and boots-on-the-ground response to businesses who request assistance in their time of need. ZDR3 responds upon request, independent of facility accreditation or affiliation.” - zdr3.org
Chahinkapa Zoo crew has been on board with ZDR3 professionals for five years. When hurricane season affects our coastal friends there is sometimes a need for help from outside the region. They are often going through these events at the same time as fellow nearby zoos and aquariums. Although we have geared up and been on standby for said occurrences, our resources have not been deployed to date. We, here in Wahpeton, understand the need for natural disaster assistance as well as simply being READY just in case called upon. CZ’s Tom Schmaltz has trained with ZDR3 in Ohio (central location for upper US) and shared flood recovery information and animal evacuation with associates.
Recently our colleagues from warm weather zoos have been anticipating winter storms and preparing for the upcoming disasters that may accompany these forecasts.
Here in North Dakota, we understand severe winter weather and what it brings. Daily winter protocol and cold weather care/prevention are routine for the Chahinkapa Zoo crew. Although we still train in “what if” drills and discussion, we feel prepared as having a level of experience leading to expertise status.
ZDR3 Executive Director and Co-founder, Julia Wilder, reached out to us this week for consultation, advice and cold weather survival tips for zoos who are normally safe from such cold acts of Mother Nature. Long-term power outages, frozen locks, ice build-up on perimeter fences, and many other prevention and recovery knowledge were shared. Hopefully, there will not be tragic situations, but perhaps we will have lent some sound counsel.
I have always known zoo folks to be well networked knowing that we can all count on each other through good and bad times. ZDR3 has taken this to the highest level of reassurance.
Stay warm,
