Where Did Zoo Animals Go During Hurricane Milton? ZooTampa Shares Behind-the-Scenes Video
ZooTampa shared how they kept their animals safe during Hurricane Milton—watch the video here
Before Hurricane Milton made landfall, Florida residents had been preparing for days. Some were required to evacuate their homes, others did what they could to minimize potential damage and keep themselves and their loved ones safe and a handful chose to ride it out despite the potential risks. However, one group of Florida residents that many overlooked was the wildlife, specifically, those in zoos and enclosures. ZooTampa at Lowry Park, a non-profit zoo in Tampa Bay, Florida, was anticipating the effects of Milton, and the selfless staff did all they could to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals in their facility. Here, take a look at what went into keeping their inhabitants safe.
How ZooTampa protected its animals from Hurricane Milton
Ahead of Hurricane Milton, ZooTampa shared a video detailing the measures that were being taken to make sure their animals were put out of harm’s way.
The video begins by explaining that the animals in the facility were being relocated to night houses and barns, from their biggest residents to their smallest and most vulnerable. Additionally, efforts were made at their facility to eliminate any potentially hazardous debris that could wreak havoc during the storm. And that was only a small fraction of what went into this relocation.
Meals were prepared ahead of time for each of the animals, paying close attention to their specific dietary needs even in spite of the looming threat. Securing and transporting these animals was no easy task, and required patience, attention to detail and dedication.
In a post shared to their Facebook ahead of the storm, ZooTampa explained what went into moving one of Florida’s native animals, the Caribbean flamingos, to safety. “Yesterday, our Florida Team worked to move our flamboyance of 12 flamingoes to the storm safe Okapi Barn,” they wrote. “This took a coordinated effort from the team to move the flock safely, including the creation of a chute system made of shade cloth to funnel them towards the transportation trailer.”
How did ZooTampa fare in Hurricane Milton?
Earlier today, ZooTampa shared a photo to Facebook of a room full of cots set up for the staff members who lent their help during the storm. The update confirmed that all 1000 animals who had been transported to safety were okay and will remain in these secondary locations for the time being.
“The team will continue to conduct a thorough safety assessment and, once roads are safe to travel, the recovery team will begin clean up and restoration efforts,” they said.
How hard was Tampa Bay hit by Hurricane Milton?
While rain and strong winds shook Tampa Bay, they were seemingly spared from the potential storm surges they had been warned of. The roof of Tropicana Field was shredded off, while a construction crane crashed into the building home to the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, the news outlet reported.
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