In the days leading up to Hurricane Melissa ripping through Jamaica, one zoo began preparing to secure the 1,5000 animals in their care.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday morning as a dangerous Category 5 hurricane with winds reaching up to 185 mph, making it the strongest storm in the island’s history. The destructive path ripped the roof off a hospital and killed at least seven people in the Caribbean, Newsweek previously reported.
As residents prepared for the historic hurricane, one zoo secured the 1,500 helpless animals from around the world, including lions, flamingos, turtles and lemurs, for the upcoming disaster. The Hope Zoo in Kingston, Jamaica, is the main wildlife rescue and rehab facility on the island, the zoo’s general coordinator, Joey Brown, told Newsweek via Instagram Tuesday afternoon.
He shared on his Instagram account, @joey._.brown, on October 26, what preparation looked like for staff and volunteers as the hurricane loomed closer. They worked endlessly to board up windows, move animals to new locations and secure cages. The flamingos were placed in the bathroom, bird cages were moved inside, stacked on top of each other, and other animals were condensed into smaller areas.
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