Some ‘preppers’ stock up on food and guns. This boatsman has two of each animal.

Seattle, Washington–Tom Whittler, aged 39, crams two stolen peacocks into his yamaha kayak. “This will come in handy very soon,” he yells over the squawking.

Mr. Whittler claims he heard a voice from above command him to save every animal species, no matter the cost. Mr. Whittler’s upstairs neighbor runs a struggling pet store and recently purchased a bullhorn.

At present, this Seattle-based ark includes his daughters gerbils and the aforementioned peacocks. But he assures us this is just the beginning. “I’m gonna have animals you haven’t even heard about,” he says, “they have these things called pandas and I’m getting some.” Mr. Whittler has a limited knowledge of animals, but he has a clear love for each creature. “I make sure each animal has what they need,” he says as mixes kibble with Mountain Dew Code Red. “The peacocks like the fizz and I like the crunch.”