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Hurricane contingency plans -

As climate change continues to cause an increase in extreme weather, communities in high-risk areas continue to work on their contingency plans.  

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High-risk corners -

Indeed, in the areas of the world most affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires, people are increasingly better equipped to cope with the devastation.

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What about the animals? -

There is one aspect of preparing for extreme weather that is important, but which receives little attention: devising plans to protect animals.

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Legal obligations -

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, facilities that house animals are required to have contingency plans in place under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act.

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Plans in place -

This means that zoos and aquariums have emergency plans in place that they practice and hone all year round.

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All in the preparation -

The hope is that when disaster does strike, the plan goes off without a hitch and all the animals at a given facility are kept safe (even if the facility itself isn’t).

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Evacuation -

Zoos have a number of safety protocols in place to protect their animals in the event of a hurricane. The first is evacuation.

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Temporary location -

In certain cases, when a storm starts to pick up (or just before), some animals are moved from their permanent home at the zoo to a temporary location.

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Example case -

During the lead up to Hurricane Milton, for example, six snakes, three lizards, three turtles, two toads, two alligators, a hermit crab, and a group of jellyfish were evacuated from the Florida Aquarium.

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Last resort -

In general, however, zookeepers avoid evacuation, since it is very stressful for the animals. Instead, the focus tends to be on moving the animals to higher ground.

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Relocation -

In the case of smaller animals, they are usually ushered into crates and transported to a safer location on the zoo’s premises.

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Importance of rapport -

This can be a delicate operation, and its success relies heavily on the rapport the zookeepers have built with the animals over the years.

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Hurricane-proof enclosures -

Larger animals that cannot fit into crates, such as elephants and giraffes, are usually moved to hurricane-proof barns.

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Well-equipped -

These barns are equipped with all the hay, food, and water that the animals would need to survive for a few days, in case the barn becomes inaccessible.

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Practice makes perfect -

Again, there are certain animals that do not take kindly to being forcibly relocated, so zookeepers practice the protocol with them multiple times every year.

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The importance of normality -

The hope is that by practicing the process on a regular basis, by the time a hurricane does come, it will feel just like a part of the animal’s normal day.

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Fending for themselves -

There are certain animals that do not need help in the event of a hurricane. The alligators at ZooTampa at Lowry Park, for example, just ride out hurricanes at the bottom of their ponds.

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Endangered animals -

At the other end of the spectrum, there are the endangered animals, whose keepers often feel they must double their efforts to protect them.

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The red wolf -

At ZooTampa, for example, extra care is taken to safeguard the red wolf, which is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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Double whammy -

To quote the zoo’s Head of Marketing Sandra Torres, “Nobody wants to lose an animal, but [certainly] not an endangered animal. It’s like a double whammy.”

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Other measures -

In addition to relocating animals, facilities must also have access to emergency generators and emergency refrigerator trucks.

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Critical supplies -

They must ensure that they have enough food, water, and other critical supplies on-site and in a location that is accessible to staff members.

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Staff present -

Many zoos have a so-called "ride-out" team that stays on site with the animals during a storm, even if it's through the night.

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Ride-out -

These are the people who move the animals to safety and then move themselves to higher ground when it is no longer safe to continue their usual tasks.

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Assessing the damage -

Once the worst of the storm has passed, the team goes back down to check the facility, looking for damage to enclosures and exhibits.

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Difficult task -

This can be a dreadful job, since hurricanes are capable of destroying huge amounts of essential equipment that is costly to replace.

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Alive and well -

The hope is, however, that despite material damage, the animals remain alive and well. In some cases, animals have to be relocated to another zoo because their usual home has been destroyed.

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Relocation -

After Hurricane Helene, for example, seven sea turtles and two manatees were transferred out of the Florida Clearwater Marine Aquarium because of the damage to their tanks.

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Repairs -

Once all the animals have been accounted for, work begins to clear the water, clean up, and repair and replace everything that has been broken or lost.

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Huge job -

This can be a mammoth task, and sometimes it takes zoos weeks or even months to recover from the damage caused by a hurricane. 

Sources: (BBC) (Washington Post)

See also: The most endangered animals in Africa

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