The cold snap is even too much for some animals at the San Antonio Zoo where officials closed early in part to keep animals warm.
The zoo usually bustles with visitors all year round, but it was tame as the new year kicked off. The hard freeze warning and frigid temperatures closed the park early three days in a row.
A spokesperson with the zoo said they also closed because most San Antonian's don't brave the cold weather and to keep their staff out of the cold.
"Usually we have our three giraffe's [out here] , but they are a little less temperature tolerant,” Animal Care Specialist Jessica Adam said. “They like it to be a little bit warmer so they're inside their heated barn."
They also sheltered elephants and hippos in warm barns and wrapped some bird cages with tarps to keep them warm.
"For our wallabies, we have heated mats that we can lay down so they can sit on it and have heat from below," Adam said.
She says her team kept a close eye on the forecast and began to prepare days in advance. They set up heaters and extra plush hay bedding for animals.
"We had subfreezing temperatures for over 24 hours that's when you get into a lot of problems with some animals if they don't come in,” Adam said. “They could have frost bite or other complications."
Some animals have the choice to stay in their warm home or get in touch with their wild side.
"Ones that are perfectly fine, well you saw our zebras were marching around, our marabou stork is trucking around in the cold too and then our lions are just having a blast they're coming out running around tackling each other and having fun," Adam said.
A wild start to 2018.
