Tampa Zoo and Aquarium Prepare For Hurricane Milton
As residents of the Tampa Bay area prepare for Hurricane Milton, the city’s zoo and aquarium are also making emergency plans for their animals. According to the Washington Post, a spokesperson for ZooTampa stated that they have a “comprehensive hurricane preparedness plan to ensure the safety and well-being of its animals and team members.”
Many animals are being transported to safety from the Florida Aquarium, including six snakes, three lizards, three turtles, two toads, two alligators, a hermit crab, and a group of jellyfish called a “smack” of moon jellies. They are also saving smaller lifeforms that are hard to see, like endangered pillar and elkhorn corals, which are going to West Palm Beach, Miami, and even Georgia.
Sandra Torres, the marketing head of ZooTampa, told the outlet that the zoo is taking its highest level of hurricane precautions for Milton. Some animals can handle hurricanes without help. For instance, alligators can stay safe at the bottom of their ponds. Staff are mainly focused on animals without nighttime shelters, like many birds, which are now being crated and moved to buildings that can withstand strong winds.
The zoo pays special attention to rare animals, such as the red wolf. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists this animal as critically endangered, with only 20 to 30 mature red wolves left in the wild.
For larger animals like elephants and giraffes that can’t fit in crates, staff are moving them into a hurricane-proof barn that has plenty of hay, food, and water for a few days in case they can’t leave the building.
ABC reported that ZooTampa will have a team on-site during the storm to “care for the animals, monitor life support systems, manage generators, and assess damage.” The zoo plans to reopen on Friday after the storm passes.
At the Florida Aquarium, they are preparing for Hurricane Milton by moving aquatic animals to the highest levels of their building. They have a ride-out team for Category 1 and 2 hurricanes that stays with the animals, but due to the seriousness of Milton, the aquarium is evacuating staff by midday Wednesday. Staff plan to return as soon as possible on Thursday. Most of the coral at the aquarium has been moved to a facility in the Florida Keys for safety.
It was also noted by the zoo that it “earned a StormReady certification” from the National Weather Service over the summer. The certification entails that Zoo Tampa is equipped “to effectively safeguard its guests, staff, animals, and property during extreme weather events.”
“Our thoughts are with all of our fellow Florida residents. Please stay safe, everyone!” the zoo shared on social media, adding that any further updates will appear on their social media accounts and website.
