When severe flooding recently turned a major Florida wildlife sanctuary into a giant lake, rescue workers had to get creative to feed their residents – including calling in a high-tech aerial delivery to drop fresh bananas straight to stranded chimpanzees.Caregivers at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, found themselves blocked by waist-deep floodwaters after record rainfall slammed the area. With standard paths cut off and vehicles breaking down, staff deployed a drone to air-drop paper food bags packed with bananas directly to the animals.Video footage captured by the sanctuary and picked up by The New York Post shows one of the chimps casually peeling and enjoying a fresh banana just seconds after the drone payload touched down. Local news station WPTV also confirmed receiving video of the team using the airborne workaround to keep the sanctuary’s feeding schedule on track.
Unprecedented Rainfall Paralyzes Ground Operations
The disruption hit hard after the 150-acre facility took on roughly 19 inches of rain over a short stretch, leaving huge portions of the refuge underwater. To make matters worse, a nearby overflowing canal prevented the standing water from draining out, effectively trapping staff on one side of the property.Save the Chimps CEO Ana Paula Tavares reassured the public that all the chimpanzees remained safe and dry. The sanctuary’s habitats are designed with elevated island care houses that sit well above local flood levels. The real headache was simply getting the human caregivers and their massive daily food shipments across the flooded grounds.As reported by CBS12, staff initially tried powering through the water using heavy tractors, trailers, and specialized off-road rigs. But the conditions quickly took a toll on their gear: a donated swamp buggy broke down mid-rescue, while nearly 15 electric golf carts—the sanctuary’s everyday workhorses – were completely ruined after being submerged in deep floodwater.
A 25-Year Record Flood Triggers Urgent Calls for Help
Speaking with WPTV, the sanctuary’s facilities director, Mark Yohannan, admitted that this storm unleashed the absolute worst flooding the property has witnessed in its 25-year history.“We’ve got a long way to go,” Yohannan said, reflecting on the extensive cleanup and repair work waiting for them once the water recedes.Still, he made sure to praise the hands-on care team for keeping the animals’ daily routines completely intact despite the chaotic background.“They’re doing great. The care staff have been on their game,” he emphasized. “They’re getting everything they would get normally: enrichment, all their food, all their medication, blankets. They haven’t missed a beat.”With so much of their transport fleet knocked out of commission, the facility has put out an urgent call to the public for assistance. They’re asking local businesses or residents for temporary loans of tall, heavy-duty four-wheel-drive vehicles, alongside financial donations to help cover building repairs and replace damaged equipment.Save the Chimps operates as one of the largest specialized sanctuaries in the world, providing lifelong care to more than 200 chimpanzees rescued from scientific research labs, Hollywood entertainment sets, and the exotic pet trade.