Just after noon Sunday at the Denver Zoo, a black rhinoceros peeked its head outside and sniffed at the snow before retreating inside.
A Siberian tiger roared while standing in a tree above the snow. And an arctic fox, curled up in a sizable snowdrift, gave a big yawn, as if it didn’t see what all the fuss was about.
The zoo reopened Sunday after closing for four days because of the blizzard. It was the first time the zoo – which strives to be open 365 days a year – closed since the March 2003 blizzard that dumped 3 feet on the city.
“It’s a big deal for us to close the zoo,” said Ana Bowie, a zoo spokeswoman. “A really, really big deal.”
Veterinarians and animal curators spent the night at the zoo during the worst of the storm, eating snack food and sleeping on cots, Bowie said. It took maintenance crews until noon Sunday to clear enough snow to make it passable for visitors, though some parts of the zoo were still closed.
“The animals have got to be fed, and the heat has to be on,” Bowie said. “So we figured, why not open the gates and let people in.”
Those who arrived found easy parking, reduced admission prices and sparse crowds. During the day, 283 people visited the zoo. More came for the Zoo Lights display at night.
“We just wanted to be out of the house after being stuck for so long,” said Rachael Carlotta, who came to the zoo with her husband and their three sons. “Plus, the animals act differently when it snows.”
Hence, the Siberian tiger up a tree.
“You hardly ever see him out,” said 10-year-old Elijah Carlotta.
Bowie said all the animals have indoor enclosures so that they don’t have to be out in the snow. But, she said, some surprising animals have really taken to it. The zebras have bounced all around in the snow in their pen, she said.
“I think snow like this is as novel to them as it is to us,” Bowie said. “It’s fun to watch. You open their door after they’ve been cooped up for a couple days, and they go flying out into the snow.”
Matt Adams arrived at the zoo with his 2-year-old daughter, CarolAnne, at 11 a.m., thinking the zoo would be open the whole day. They had to wait an hour before the gates opened, and even then, the carousel, CarolAnne’s favorite part of the zoo, was closed.
Instead, they wandered around in the chilling wind, CarolAnne’s cheeks turning an apple red. They looked at sea lions, giraffes and polar bears.
“It’s nice to be able to do this today,” Matt Adams said.
As the afternoon went on, the weather turned sharply colder. Some of the animals went inside, and the families bundled up more. But, still, they said, there’s something to having the zoo all to yourself.
“There’s hardly anybody here,” said Dan Zyla, who walked the grounds with his wife and two young sons. “It’s kind of nice.”
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
