Agencia Cubana de Noticias/FacebookCuba has started to evacuate dolphins in helicopters in the face of devastation caused by Hurricane Irma.
The dolphins were evacuated, wrapped in wet towels and transported via helicopter to Cienfuegos, in southeast Cuba.
They are currently in swimming pools which mimic their natural environment.
Agencia Cubana de Noticias/FacebookThey were originally held in a dolphinarium – an aquarium specially designed for dolphins.
When the risk of the hurricane became obvious, people rushed together to make sure the dolphins were safe.
As reported by the Mirror, Manager of the dolphinarium, Gonzalo Carrero Escobar, said:
For the moment they have been placed in a swimming pool offering similar conditions to their natural life.
Agencia Cubana de Noticias/FacebookGonzalo continued:
If the weather situation does not allow us to keep them there, they will be displaced to the salt water swimming pool of a hotel.
The dolphins were massaged to ensure the distress caused to them was minimal.
Agencia Cubana de Noticias/FacebookThe Category 5 hurricane has swept across the area with speeds of up to 160mph.
Footage of the hurricane shows massive waves crashing over sea walls and destroying homes.
There are at least 21 confirmed dead at the time of writing throughout the Caribbean.
Agencia Cubana de Noticias/FacebookThere has been a huge evacuation in Florida over the past couple of days as forecasts suggest Hurricane Irma will hit the southern coast sometime today.
