30 Florida flamingos rode out Hurricane Isaias in a zoo bathroom
Why it matters: The birds were moved into the concrete-walled space before the storm hit to shield them from dangerous winds.
Thirty flamingos at ZooWorld in Panama City Beach, Florida, spent Hurricane Isaias sheltering in a bathroom after keepers moved them out of their regular enclosure ahead of the storm. A video of the flock crowding around sinks and stalls drew wide attention online, turning the birds into unlikely storm celebrities. Zoo staff used the bathroom because its block walls offered stronger protection from the high winds threatening the Gulf Coast. Kylie Appleton, the senior zookeeper, recorded the scene before the team boarded up the door. Erika Newell, ZooWorld’s chief operating officer, stayed overnight on the property and checked on the animals every hour as Isaias lashed the area.