Statement from Primarily Primates about preparedness

Statement from Primarily Primates about preparedness

We have been inundated with so much love and support and we can’t begin to thank everyone enough. We now have more than a dozen loaned small generators up and running along with numerous propane heaters keeping all our animals on the property safe and warm.

As we endured the hardships four days without electricity with no idea of when it will return and bracing for another eight inches of snow,  we are also being inundated with comments about our preparedness  for an unprecedented winter storm devastating Texas during a global pandemic.

Our 78-acre sanctuary consists of more than 100 habitats/enclosures and five buildings—including offices, a staff house and a veterinary space. We have an emergency response plan for a normal disaster, which is why we were able to evacuate dozens  and dozens of our primates to safety.

However not all wild primates are thrilled about such an evacuation plan, and it can be difficult to capture them and transport them as quickly as the best laid plan, especially during an extended, deep Arctic freeze.

This is not about not being prepared—this is unprecedented, catastrophic weather for humans and non-human animals in Texas combined with rolling blackouts that have knocked millions off the power grid.

Knowing chimpanzees are too difficult to transport, we have propane heaters stockpiled. Propane heaters need fuel, though, and this impossible disaster in Texas has posed new challenges for obtaining fuel. (We are currently going through at least 20 propane tanks per night.)

To be clear, we have never lost power for any significant amount of time, and have never experienced rolling blackouts multiple days without power. So no, we did not have commercial-grade generators to power all of the buildings, enclosures and heated bedrooms on our 78-acre property that would be required during such a catastrophic weather event.

Rest assured, the donations pouring in will be used for purchasing them because we can no longer count on being provided with electricity when we need it the most despite astronomical electric bills during the colder months.