Texas Animal Sanctuary Becomes A 'Morgue' As Animals Freeze

As twin winter storms ravage Texas, animals trapped in a San Antonio animal sanctuary were doomed to icy graves. The blackouts plaguing the state cut power to Primarily Primates, leaving workers scrambling to save who they could, CNN reports.

"I never, ever thought my office would turn into a morgue, but it has," executive director Brooke Chavez told the San Antonio Express-News.

When power went out Monday, workers thought they could fortify the building against the cold. Blankets, propane tanks and heaters were brought in to keep the animals warm. Eventually, however, it became clear they couldn’t keep the plummeting temperatures at bay. Staff looked to evacuate who they could.

"I've never faced a decision like this," Chavez said. "Having to decide who we can save, depending on the predictability of which animals we can catch."

The true number of casualties is unknown, and freezing temperatures are expected to last into the weekend. Scores of birds, lemurs, monkeys and a chimpanzee all number among the dead.

"Someone asked me how many animals have died. I don't know yet," Chavez said. "I know we lost lots of monkeys, lemurs and tropical birds."

It’s not all bad news: many occupants made it out, relocating to the San Antonio zoo, another sanctuary near the border or the homes of volunteers.

Thirty-three chimpanzees, however, remain at the sanctuary due to the difficulty in transporting them. The sanctuary still needs generators, and is asking for donations on its Facebook page.