Guangxi's private zoo fighting to stay afloat

More than a week after catastrophic flooding devastated his private zoo in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, owner Yin Feifei is now focused on helping the surviving animals recover.

"My biggest wish right now is to nurse all the surviving animals back to full health," he said.

The flood, triggered by Typhoon Maysak on July 6, killed or swept away more than half of the zoo's animals, destroyed Yin's home and caused an estimated 4 million yuan ($591,000) in losses.

During the disaster, Yin drew nationwide attention after risking his life to lock lions and bears inside their dens to prevent them from escaping into nearby communities.

As floodwaters surged through the zoo, Yin faced a difficult choice: release the carnivores and risk endangering nearby residents, or keep them confined as the water continued to rise.

Tethered to a thick hemp rope held by zoo staff for safety, Yin waded through chest-deep floodwater to secure all of the carnivore enclosures. By doing so, he prevented all lions and bears from escaping, but three of the zoo's seven lions drowned inside their flooded dens. Dozens of zebras, deer, alpacas, birds and other herbivores were swept away by the torrent.

"It started raining in the wee hours, and the water rose extremely fast. By the time I finished locking the lion enclosures, the water level was nearly 3 meters high," Yin recalled.

He and several employees were later stranded atop a shipping container before rescue workers reached them in assault boats around noon. "I think I would've lost my life if they'd gotten there any later," he said.

"I raised every one of these animals from a young age. My heart ached deeply, but I had no other choice," Yin said. "My own life mattered little compared with the lives of local residents if a lion or bear broke free."

As the floodwaters receded, the focus shifted to caring for the surviving animals and searching for those still missing.

On July 8, the zoo issued a public appeal asking residents to report sightings of escaped animals without approaching them. The zoo warned that frightened wildlife could become aggressive. Animals still unaccounted for include zebras, ostriches, emus, sika deer, alpacas, raccoons and dozens of birds.

Since the appeal was issued, villagers have returned one sika deer, while two peacocks and two raccoons have returned to the zoo on their own.

Recovery efforts have drawn support from across the country. Volunteers from Shanghai are using drones to search nearby floodplains for missing animals. A zoo in Foshan, Guangdong province, has offered to donate animals to help replenish the collection, while donors have supplied 100 live chickens to feed the surviving carnivores. Yin said local authorities have also delivered generators and disinfection supplies to aid the zoo's recovery.

Despite the assistance, significant challenges remain. According to Yin's wife, Wang Liyuan, the zoo must continue purchasing animal feed every day and lacks refrigeration to store meat for its carnivores.

"All we have left, besides what we wear, are these surviving animals," Yin said.

Originally from Anhui province, the couple invested 6 million yuan to establish the zoo in Guigang in 2004 after years of working with wildlife.

"We cared deeply for animals long before we came to Guangxi," Wang said. "We decided this would be our lifelong career."