While pets could flee with their owners as Hurricane Irma bore down on the state of Florida, what about the captive animals in zoos that had nowhere to go?
The good news is that, according to most reports, zoo animals were able to make it through the intense wind, rain and storm surge. To keep their accreditation, members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums must have a disaster plan and practice an annual preparedness drill.
The enclosures in many of Florida’s zoos have protected areas where large animals like tigers and giraffes can be safely sheltered without having to be evacuated. Smaller animals, however, had to be moved to safer areas. This must have been especially scary for the animals that were already stressed out because they could sense the approaching monster storm.
The staff at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, which has 150 animals, began moving birds and small mammals a few days before the storm.
“We are prepared for the worst and hopeful for the best,” Naki Carter, the zoo’s communications director, told NBC News Sept. 9. “We are preparing for a Category 5 to make direct impact with our zoo.”
