In the aftermath of the storm, PETA issued a statement calling for the escaped tigers to go to an animal sanctuary. We’ve been here for 30 years and a tornado is not going to chase us out.” “But Parks America, the parent company, and Wild Animal Safari, we’re in this business for the long haul, we’re in this community for the long haul. So the financial impact is significant and substantial,” Whitfield said. “The spring break at any park at any zoo at any Wild Animal Safari Park generally is a very, very busy time to the park and, and for us, it’s one of the busiest weeks of the year. However, he said the Wild Animal Safari is not going to be deterred by this storm and will rebuild. “Imagine the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade where an event happened where you couldn’t have the parade,” he said. Whitfield compared not being open for Spring Break to the cancellation of a major event. “But we’ve got to do what we have to do to keep the public and the animals safe. “ is literally our busiest week of the whole year every year, so we are taking a big hit there,” Harrison said. The park hopes to reopen in early April, though no specific date is known yet with much cleanup left underway. “It honestly could’ve been a lot worse,” Harrison said, looking over the damaged property. The aftermath of the storm was trees down everywhere, animals that needed to be moved temporarily to their sister park in Missouri and a lot of work to get reopened. The one staff member who was at the park rode out the storm under a small space, near where the walkabout area starts. “We had somebody here on site, who called me and said ‘you need to get here now,” Harrison said. Instead, she received a call urging her to get to the park quickly. Harrison said she was planning to go to the animal safari after the tornado warning expired around 7:30 a.m. They got everybody tranquilized and back where they needed to go,” Harrison said. And both - specifically a white Bengal tiger and a liger - were safe. Both tigers were found within a few hours - both within the confines of the park. The animal safari became a national topic Sunday after two tigers escaped their enclosures when the storm came through. “Our teams assisted in ensuring that animal spaces were secure, assisted with downed trees, and helped prepare animal diets,” Davis said.
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