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How Zoos, Wildlife Centers Are Preparing for Hurricane Irma

"We have large African antelope here and unfortunately they cannot be caught up and put in small spaces"

Zoos and conservation centers in the expected path of deadly Hurricane Irma are hunkering down to protect the wildlife they house, NBC News reported.

Animals throughout South Florida are being moved to secure facilities at zoos, though not all will be able to be moved inside.

"We have large African antelope here and unfortunately they cannot be caught up and put in small spaces they're out in their environment and hopefully they’ll hunker down and be fine," said Dr. Paul Reillo, founder and president at the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation in Loxahatchee.

The Miami Zoo said it isn't evacuating its animals because there's a risk the hurricane will shift direction to the place animals were evacuated. Nearly 30 years ago, dozens of flamingos sheltering from Hurricane Georges a bathroom at the zoo, becoming an iconic image showing the lengths zoo staffs go to to protect their animals in dangerous weather.

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