Flamingos huddled in a Zoo Miami bathroom during Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. (Image: Zoo Miami) (Ron Magill) MIAMI - When Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida on Aug.
24, 1992 with 165 mph winds, the storm demolished the Miami Metro Zoo flamingo habitat, leaving birds exposed to the storm and sending zoo workers searching for a new place to shelter the long-necked beauties."The entire structure came down like a house of cards," Zoo Miami Communications Director Ron Magill recalls.Magill, who has been with the zoo for 40 years, described coming up with a quick plan to shelter the flamingos in the zoo's restrooms in the wake of the monster Category 5 hurricane.
In a pinch, it would do. The zoo staff worked to round up dozens of flamingos and get them to their temporary hurricane shelter. "I remember catching these flamingos, you know, was a big thing, catching them and putting them in the bathroom," Magill said.
Magill's image of the birds huddled in the black-and-white bathroom is legendary in Florida.THE HURRICANE ANDREW TIMELINE BEGAN ON THIS DAY IN 1992 WHILE THE TROPICS ARE QUIET IN 2022"I saw all these flamingos standing there next to the sink, next to the stalls.