This is a story about rescuing animals. It is actually two, or, maybe even three separate stories. I have grouped them for convenience, due to their similarity. And, to save Char a little work.

First, A private zoo had gotten all its animal evacuated to Baton Rouge, except the three largest. Two elephants, and a bear. These animals had been placed in wheeled cages to be towed to Baton Rouge.

However, the truck did not reach them before Katrina did. When people finally returned to the zoo grounds, the cages were gone. They called for our help. The elephants were found a few yards apart about a ¼ mile from the zoo, and in water reaching about one foot deep in the cages. Getting these cages to dry land proved difficult. They were mired in mud. Finally, two large Huey Helicoptors were hooked on to the largest elephants cage, and ten zoo personnel were used to rock the cage and calm the elephants. This worked and the cage was airlifted to dry ground. The process was also successfully completed for the smaller elephant.

Now all that remained was finding the Bear. Interestingly enough, during this search, another group of animals was discovered and saved.

On one pass the pilot of the twin engine Cessna being used for the IR images, made an extra wide turn because of a high wind. As I analyzed this film, I spotted a hot spot just on the edge of three frames. Thinking we had found the Bear, a helo was sent to the area with the other sensors. He reported visual sighting a herd of White Tailed Deer stranded on a small hummock.

In the meantime, the Cessna pilot found the Bear's cage, also by visual. The extraction of the bear did not require all the manpower the elephants had, but he was in deeper water, and covered with sores.

All three zoo animals are now inn good health and living at the Baton Rouge site. The deer herd was fed until they disappeared, presumably into the forest as the water receded.

This information comes to me second-hand from our group leader, as part of his way to show appreciation for our help. He is a native of New Orleans himself.