How Tampa's zoo and aquarium are preparing for Hurricane Milton's arrival
As Florida's Tampa Bay residents prepare for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the city's zoo and aquarium are working on emergency preparations for the animals as well.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for ZooTampa said the facility has a "comprehensive hurricane preparedness plan to ensure the safety and well-being of its animals and team members."
Security precautions leading up to Milton's landfall include moving larger animals into night houses, that are built to withstand major storms, and moving the smaller mammals and birds into ancillary buildings, according to ZooTampa.
Other hurricane preparations include securing loose items at the facility, stocking up on animal diets, trimming trees and fueling generators for power outages.
ZooTampa will also have a ride-out team at the facility during the storm that will "care for the animals, monitor life support systems, manage generators and assess damage," the facility said.
The zoo is planning to open on Friday following the impact of the storm for normal operations, according to the statement.
For Tampa's aquatic animals, the Florida Aquarium is preparing for Milton by moving animals to the highest level of their facility.
ABC News watched as teams secured the African penguins and a sloth and brought them to enclosures where preparations are underway to help the animals ride out the storm.
During Helene, the aquarium took on three feet of water along the wharf, marking the first time in its 30 years in operation the location had seen water breech the wharf.
As Milton rapidly approaches the region, the aquarium is expecting the first floor could take on a lot of water and officials are working to ensure the animals are safe.
Typically, The Florida Aquarium has a ride-out team for Category 1 and 2 hurricanes that stays with the animals, however, because of the severity of Milton, the facility is evacuating staff by mid-day Wednesday.
Staff members are planning to return to the facility as soon as possible Thursday.
The Florida Aquarium moved most of the coral on the property to a facility in the Florida Keys to keep it safe.
