While Florida residents were busy boarding up their windows and evacuating ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival, staff at The Florida Aquarium were busy making sure their beloved animals were relocated to safer areas.
Tuesday morning crews carefully helped the Aquarium’s nine African penguins move from their habitat on the first floor of the building, located in Downtown Tampa, to higher ground. The penguins were coaxed into carriers and a stroller-like cart with fish to move them safely.
RELATED STORY | Hurricane Milton growing in size as it begins to lash Florida
Moon jellies, sea turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, toads and a hermit crab were among the other animals that got a change of scenery from their normal habitats in order to protect them from what is expected to be a deadly and dangerous 10-foot storm surge.
Next, staff carefully packed up thousands of corals to be transported to West Palm Beach, Miami and Georgia for safekeeping until the storm passes. The Florida Aquarium said it is the only facility in the world that cares for endangered pillar coral and has the largest population of reproductive-size elkhorn coral.
The aquarium’s Coral Conservation Team partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to relocate the thousands of corals.
RELATED STORY | Hurricane Milton: Evacuation zones in Florida and what they mean
The aquarium has been closed to the public since Tuesday but tentatively plans to reopen on Friday.
"The safety of our animals is our top priority," said The Florida Aquarium President and CEO Roger Germann in a statement. "And we take every precaution to ensure their well-being during extreme weather events like Hurricane Milton."