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Life-sized Noah's Ark replica plans to sail into Seattle

A replica of Biblical proportions has set sail for the summer Olympics in Brazil, and may head up the west coast to the US in 2017.

A spokesperson for the Ark of Noah Foundation, based in Pasadena, CA tells KIRO 7 the Ark is being transported from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Plans are for the replica to tour several Brazilian ports following the games. Stops in other South American ports and eventually the US could be scheduled in late 2016 or early 2017.

"We would love to be invited to Seattle in the coming years," David Rivera with the Ark of Noah Foundation wrote in an email to KIRO 7.

The five-deck ship was built by carpenter Johan Huibers as a religious attraction.

While the story of the original Ark states it had animals loaded two-by-two, the replica includes life-sized model pairs of giraffes, elephants, crocodiles and many more animals.

It was created to be a museum and event center in partnership with the Ark of Noah Foundation.

The foundation's director said the group would like to build Ark of Hope Centers in areas that need help,  San Diego station KFMB reported.