In the calm before the storm, there was a moment of chaos at the Central Park Zoo.
Last weekend, Hurricane Irene threatened to cause devastation across the eastern seaboard, and as New York City prepared for the storm's arrival, staffers at the Central Park Zoo encountered an 8-lb. surprise: a newborn lamb.
Sheep usually give birth in late winter or early spring, but Truffle decided that – hurricane be darned! – she was going to have a baby in late summer.
"We don't expect a baby in late August," assistant curator Susan Cardillo told the Daily News. "This is very unusual."
To address Truffle's nursing needs, zookeepers quickly adjusted their hurricane protocol and made a private stall for the pair, while the other animals shared space in the stables. They also gave the new baby her name: Irene Hope.
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