For years, the zoo has been preparing for just such a storm, reinforcing concrete structures that house most animals during the hurricane, organizing emergency supplies and preparing for the potential evacuation of staff.

Dozens of zoo officials and wardens sat out the storm and the horrific aftermath alongside the animals they love in what they have now nicknamed "Camp Katrina."

"We holed up in the reptile house," said Maloney, as workers removed downed trees to clear a path for trucks to bring in diesel to fuel generators needed to regulate temperatures in the serpentarium.

Maloney praised the efforts of rescue teams searching for people trapped in their flooded homes, but said he worried about the psychological impact of the low-flying helicopters on zoo animals.

"They're getting spooked, this could seriously affect them," he said.

He also feared it could take as long as four years to get the zoo back in pristine shape.

But most of all he is relieved that virtually all of the zoo's animals survived Katrina's wrath.

As flood waters rose in the low lying city in the hours after the storm, Maloney had feared that the animals would drown.

"I was this close to building the ark," he said.

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Help animals through the following organizations at the front and center of relief efforts:

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
American Humane Association (AHA)
American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF)
United Animal Nations (UAN)

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