TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — There was an awesome quantity of cuteness on the state capitol this week.
The Florida Aquarium, alongside their tuxedoed ambassadors gathered on the statehouse, asking for important funding to construct barrier partitions after final 12 months’s hurricanes left their mark on the power.
“Shifting our animals and their security was most necessary to us,” mentioned Camryn Ritter with the Florida Aquarium. “The place our Penguins reside on the Florida Aquarium property was positively going to be subjected to storm surge, and with this final summer time of hurricanes, it was positively very crucial that we received them to secure greater floor.”
Hurricanes Helene and Milton induced record-breaking storm surges, bringing floodwaters proper as much as the Florida Aquarium’s doorways. This put many animals in danger, and now these very penguins are waddling by way of the halls in Tallahassee, calling on lawmakers to think about funding on this 12 months’s state price range to assist shield them from future storms on the aquarium’s downtown Tampa campus.
“The situation of the aquarium is correct on the port of Tampa Bay,” Ritter mentioned. “I feel it does simply inherently have an area the place it is so near rising storm waters that any such legislature participation, with us shifting ahead with this large enlargement, I feel is de facto going to be impactful to the security and safety going ahead.”
Throughout Helene and Milton, animals and habitats on the aquarium needed to relocate and be rescued from the storm floodwater that got here speeding by way of.
The aquarium is now asking for funding to construct flood barrier partitions and renovate exterior entrances, all to assist shield Florida’s aquatic-life.
8 On Your Aspect sat down with aquarium employees and requested them how the conversations have been to date with lawmakers on the state capitol.
“I feel everyone actually understands the impacts and desires to guard our animals and the important infrastructure that we’ve,” mentioned Katrina Cox, The Florida Aquarium.
Bay space lawmakers, State Senator Danny Burgess and Representative Karen Gonzalez Pittman, teamed up this 12 months to ask their colleagues to think about the 1-million-dollar appropriations request.
Lawmakers at the moment are midway by way of the legislative session and the state’s price range is prime of thoughts for a lot of of them. And as these negotiations proceed to advance, the aquarium and its fury mates are hoping they’re part of that dialog.
