Coastal Wilds Calls on the Community for Support After Devastating Blizzard Damage

FRANKFORD, Del. — Sussex County took the biggest hit from Sunday’s blizzard, and at Coastal Wilds, the damage is still visible. Now, with multiple habitats in need of repair, staff are calling on the community for help.

During the storm, the zoo’s lynx habitat collapsed, leaving it nearly unrecognizable. Coastal Wilds went more than 40 hours without power, relying on generators that, at one point, shut down.

“Our lead reptile keeper, he had one of our large lizards, his temperature dropped down into the 30s, which was really terrifying because they’re not used to that. He was hugging him, sitting in front of a fire trying to keep him warm. We’re not just one area; we’re spread across acres, and so, to be able to supply power to everything is not easy,” Owner and Director of Coastal Wilds Josh Mueller said.

The zoo’s fencing, lighting, and otter pool were also damaged in the storm. With the help of a network called ZDR3, Coastal Wilds received support from other zoos in the area. “They immediately hopped on — they got more generators for us. Plumpton Park Zoo, they came down from Rising Sun, and brought two generators for us. Right now, they’re working with us to help us rebuild this enclosure. We even had a zoo in North Dakota that was willing to come help us with shoveling and sending support.”

Now, they need the community’s help raising funds to restore Sasha’s habitat and rebuild other areas of the park.

“We still have a way to go. We’re around 38% of that goal right now, but every little bit is helping, and it’s able to help us recoup costs and put toward other resources for the eventuality of when we do rebuild Sasha’s enclosure or fix other parts of the park,” Brand Manager Zach Bova said.

If you’re interested in helping Coastal Wilds reach their fundraising goal of $12k, visit their GoFundMe page, or their Venmo.