Florida Floods: Drone Delivers Bananas, Blankets To Chimpanzees Stuck At Sanctuary (WATCH)

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

Torrential rainfall triggered severe flooding across parts of Florida, forcing staff at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce to turn to an unusual solution to care for the rescued primates. With large sections of the property submerged, handlers deployed a drone to deliver food and blankets to the stranded chimpanzees.

A video footage shows a chimpanzee named Kaleb eagerly chomping down on a banana after a drone carefully drops a paper bag filled with food. Another clip shows a great ape resting comfortably on a blanket delivered by drone, while a fellow chimpanzee picks bugs out of its ear.

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The sanctuary's 150-acre property was severely affected by the downpour, leaving large areas underwater and making it difficult for staff members to reach the animals. Despite emergency protocols being in place, neither golf carts nor regular vehicles could navigate the flooded grounds.

Rather than wait for the floodwaters to recede, the staff came up with an innovative way to ensure the animals continued receiving food and essential supplies. They used a drone to transport nourishment and blankets to the rescued chimpanzees.

In a post accompanying the viral video, Save the Chimps reassured the public that all its residents were safe but appealed for financial assistance to repair the damage caused by the flooding.

"Our residents are safe, but the sanctuary needs your help. Floodwaters have damaged roads, requiring significant resurfacing work. Roof repairs and mold remediation are needed, and vehicles and equipment have been damaged, including golf carts, a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and a compressor for one of our walk-in coolers," Save the Chimps captioned the accompanying video.

Sanctuary CEO Ana Paula Tavares told the New York Post that the flooding had created significant challenges for the staff, although the safety of the chimpanzees was a relief.

"The chimps, who live on islands with care houses at a higher elevation, are safe. But with floodwaters stagnant throughout the property and surrounding area, it has been a major challenge for our staff to arrive at work, much less carry out their responsibilities," said Tavares.

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