Ubon Ratchathani Zoo closed due to floods

PHOTO: Ubon Ratchathani Zoo, seen here in dryer times, closed due to floods. (via Thailand Tourism Directory)

Thailand has been battered by heavy rains and flooding throughout the nation. In Ubon Ratchathani, the zoo had to close for the foreseeable future due to floods. While the rainwaters persist, officials at the zoo assure the approximately 600 animals living there are safe.

The director of the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand said that there’s enough food to take care of the animals in the zoo for about a month. They’ve kept the animal pens safe from flooding with strategic sandbag walls, though the tourist areas and the main entrance are partially underwater.

While the animals in the zoo are safe from being swept away or drowned in floods, there is concern that the standing water can lead to infection, especially among hooved animals. Veterinarians from other zoos have already travelled to the northeastern province and additional food has been delivered to ensure the safety of the zoo residents.

The province is predicted to be flooded for another month while the Mun River is still high and continuously receiving water flowing downriver from Sisaket province, according to the Royal Irrigation Department. The water in the river is over half a metre higher than it was during the 2019 flooding, which was the worst flood in years for the province. As much as 5,000 cubic metres per second of water is flowing into the river currently.

According to Thai PBS World, more than 46,000 people have been affected in the province. Locals are complaining that they are sick of empty promises and slow updates. They just want the government to get to work draining water from the area as quickly as possible.


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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

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