Preparing for a major hurricane is even more complicated when you have more than 3,000 wild animals in your care.
Zoo Miami, also known as the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, has spent the past few days making sure its facilities are ready for the wrath of Hurricane Irma, which is now expected to make landfall in Florida on Sunday.
Senior keeper Jennifer Nelson walks a cheetah to a shelter ahead of Hurricane Irma. (Photo: Adrees Latif / Reuters)
There are several reasons why it doesn’t make sense to evacuate thousands of animals from the zoo, communications director Ron Magill told NPR this week. For one thing, transporting the animals can cause stress so great that it could kill them. Plus, the zoo wrote on Facebook, hurricanes’ paths can change so quickly that evacuating the animals could wind up putting them in more danger.
Magill told the Miami Herald that the zoo learned a lot of lessons after weathering Hurricane Andrew 25 years ago. That was the first time the zoo herded a flock of flamingos into a bathroom, resulting in an iconic, widely circulated photo. Flamingos rode out the storm in bathrooms during Hurricanes Georges and Floyd, too.
Flamingos huddle in a bathroom during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. (Photo: Tim Chapman via Getty Images)
This time around, the flamingos, like many of the zoo’s residents, will be kept inside concrete enclosures that Magill told NPR are strong enough to withstand “the strength of a major hurricane.”
Take a look at some of the photos of the zoo readying animals for the storm:
Brown pelicans and an American white pelican take shelter at Zoo Miami.
Flamingos take refuge inside a steel and concrete enclosure
A zookeeper guides an Indian white-rumped vulture into a crate.
Cheetahs are moved into a shelter to ride out the storm.
An African grey parrot at Miami Zoo.
Senior keeper Jennifer Nelson walks a cheetah to a shelter.
Brown pelicans and an American white pelican inside a shelter.
A macaw looks out of a shelter cage.
Cheetahs inside an enclosure that zookeepers say will be able to weather Hurricane Irma.
A freeway is empty as winds and rain in the outer bands of Hurricane Irma arrive in Miami.
A sign is posted on a door at a hurricane shelter in Naples, Florida.
MIRAMAR, FL- September 09: Red Cross sign outside New Renaissance Middle School.
MIRAMAR, FL- September 09: New Renaissance Middle School.
MIRAMAR, FL- September 09: Shelter filled to capacity sign hangs on a fence.
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Men hold up metal siding as it is placed in front of a business in downtown Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A tourist poses for a picture outside of a shop in South Beach prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma to south Florida, in Miami, Florida, U.S., September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
MIAMI BEACH, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Storm clouds are seen over the beach as Hurricane Irma approaches on September 9, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Wood storm shutters bear the names of past hurricanes ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma September 9, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Governor Rick Scott has ordered the mandatory evacuation of millions of people from the southern part of the state ahead of the unprecedented storm. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Winds and rain begin to hit the beach as outer bands of Hurricane Irma arrive in Miami Beach, Florida, September 9, 2017. Hurricane Irma weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm early Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Center, after making landfall hours earlier in Cuba with maximum-strength Category 5 winds. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
Local residents walks along an empty street in South Beach prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma to south Florida, in Miami, Florida U.S., September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: People gather around the beach in Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A man holds onto his hat as winds and rain begin to hit the beach as outer bands of Hurricane Irma arrive in Miami Beach, Florida, September 9, 2017. Hurricane Irma weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm early Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Center, after making landfall hours earlier in Cuba with maximum-strength Category 5 winds. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: A sign announces that a store is closed in downtown Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: A surfer enjoys the waves churned up buy the approaching Hurricane Irma on September 9, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Metal siding is placed in front of a business in downtown Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: People walk through an empty downtown downtown Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Storm clouds are seen over Fisher Island as Hurricane Irma approaches on September 9, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: People gather around the beach in Naples before the arrival of Hurricane Irma into Southwest Florida on September 9, 2017 in Naples, Florida. The Naples area could begin to feel hurricane-force winds from Irma by 11 a.m. Sunday and experience wind gusts over 100 mph from Sunday through Monday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
PORT ORANGE, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: Brian Collins wheels cut wood he plans to use to protect the thrid floor of his home past empty plywood racks ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma at Lowes September 9, 2017 in Port Orange, Florida. Governor Rick Scott has ordered the mandatory evacuation of millions of people from the southern part of the state ahead of the unprecedented storm. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Winds and rain begin to hit the beach as outer bands of Hurricane Irma arrive in Miami Beach, Florida, September 9, 2017. Hurricane Irma weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm early Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Center, after making landfall hours earlier in Cuba with maximum-strength Category 5 winds. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
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