MIDLAND, Texas — If you haven't heard, The Preserve at Midland project will be bringing a new zoo to Midland.
However, there are still some questions as to how the animals that will be coming to the Tall City will be taken care of.
One main question: how will new animals get used to our climate?
Midland can be quite the dry area, but it's weather can turn on a dime. From being hot one day to cold the next, it can make the business of zoo-keeping much more difficult when dealing with a diverse array of animals.
“Anybody that has been out here for a length of time knows that our summers can be quite hot and our winters are generally mild," Sibley Nature Center Museum Scientist Michael Nickell said. "[We can also have] some very severe cold snaps as well. So we get both hot and cold weather."
It's expected that the zoo will import new animals to fill up their zoo.
But what animals thrive out here in Midland? Well usually, it’s the type of animals who are used to living out here in the Tall City that do best.
“The animals that do best out here are those species that are native or have at least adapted to our climate," Nickell said. "Historically we’ve had things like bison, mule deer, elk, white tail deer and several types of bird species."
Nickell also says any type of animal, not just the ones native to West Texas, need to be properly cared for.
That means a lot of construction to build the right pens and structures for the animals.
“Animals need to be cared for and they need to have the opportunity to find someplace to warm up in the sun and to get out of the sun," Nickell said. "If it gets out of the sun they need access to food and water.”
Zoo Midland will have some time before the zoo opens up to get everything right. The new zoo is projected to open up in 2027.