The first reports out of New Orleans were that both the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas had made it through the storm and the flooding. There was some concern because the small staff at the Aquarium had been made to evacuate, but I assumed that someone somewhere had a clue and realized that since that aquarium is something of a National treasure there would be a priority on letting them return to care for the animals.
I was wrong.
The fish are dead. One of the premier collections of fish in the world, all gone. Smelling to high heaven. I quibble with CNN's headline that "Katrina kills most fish in New Orleans Aquarium." No, neglect killed them. And they were only neglected because no one let the keepers go back. Yes, those animals are dependent on dissolved oxygen in the water. But I'd bet a year's salary that my husband (JD, the marine ecology/teacher guy) could have MacGyvered a solution if he had been there - and I bet they have one of those guys on their staff, too. If someone had been let in the building this wouldn't be such a total pooch screw.
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