Hurricane Irma: Flamingos Seek Shelter At Busch Gardens (Video)

TAMPA, FL — Staff at Busch Gardens are making sure animals aren't being left behind as Hurricane Irma barrels toward the Tampa Bay area. A video released by the theme park Sunday shows flamingos being led to a shelter. Busch Gardens is home to more than 12,000 animals and 300 species.

The park announced it would be now be closed on Saturday, Sept. 9, through Monday, Sept. 11. According to Fox 13, zoologists are staying on site to monitor the animals every hour until the storm passes.

Watch the flamingos head to shelter below.

Irma was weakened to a Category 3 storm but was still packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and posing tornado threats as it barreled toward Tampa Bay. The storm, which has left at least 20 dead in its destructive path through the Caribbean and is now responsible for at least three deaths in Florida.

Tornado watches are in effect until midnight Monday for Pasco, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, Polk and Hernando counties, and some areas are under mandatory curfews.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Irma Live Updates: Storm's Center Nearing Naples, 2 Miami Cranes Collapse, 2M Without Power
• Hurricane Irma: Tampa Bay Tornado Watches, Curfews In Place
• Tampa Enacts Curfew As Irma Nears
• Watch Hurricane Irma Live On Florida Webcams

Image via Jeremy Thompson/Flickr, used under Creative Commons