Miami zoo animals hunker down as Hurricane Irma zeroes in on Florida
The threat of widespread damage has dredged up memories of Hurricane Andrew, which decimated the facility in 1992
The Miami zoo is taking no chances with Peanut, a critically endangered white-rumped vulture, or with its more common pink flamingos.
With Hurricane Irma making landfall in Florida, the zoological park evacuated Peanut from his enclosure and placed him in a fortified concrete bunker along with other animals early on Saturday.
Zookeepers scrambled to secure animals and finish testing emergency equipment as weather deteriorated ahead of Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century.
“We are very concerned about the generators working because we have life system supports for pumping for the aquarium and things like that,” said Zoo Miami communications director Ron Magill. “If they shut down, the oxygen doesn’t get in the water, and animals will die.”
Irma is expected to make landfall somewhere west of Miami on Sunday as a major hurricane, bringing winds in excess of 160kp/h and a storm surge of up to 4.6 metres.
