Walt Disney World reopened on Friday, October 11, after Hurricane Milton, and offered a unique look at the residents of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge returning to their homes.
Dr. Mark Penning — Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science, and Environment — shared his gratitude in an Instagram post for the Animal Care team, who rode out Hurricane Milton with the critters of Walt Disney World.
Thank you to our incredible professionals. Just as our cast members and guests rode out the storm during Hurricane Milton, our team of animal experts cared for the thousands of animals that call Walt Disney World home. From beautiful birds (like flamingoes 🦩) to the smallest butterflies and our family of mighty western lowland gorillas, cast members monitored conditions, kept a watchful eye on the animals and assessed and carefully removed storm debris before moving the animals back into their habitats, after the storm passed.
The animal residents of the lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park pose a unique challenge when facing tropical storms and hurricanes. They are still wild despite their captivity and while their enclosures are intended to mimic their natural environments, they lose the ability to protect themselves and must rely on humans for survival.
To keep the animals safe during storms, the care team relocates them to various shelters, including their indoor habitats and buildings backstage. There, they can be monitored and cared for by the team.
After the storm is over, each habitat must be inspected for safety and cleared of any debris. The video below, shared by Dr. Penning, shows the flamingoes returning to the savanna after it passed safety standards.
Like the other structures around Walt Disney World, the indoor habitats and backstage buildings used for shelter are designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. From the video, it appears these flamingoes were transported between the shelter and the savanna using a trailer.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge wasn’t closed to guests during the storm, but the animals were removed for their safety.
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