Prospect Park Zoo Stays Closes Indefinitely Due to Heavy Storm Damage

YS Gold 

Many families made their way to the Prospect Park Zoo over chol hamo’ed only to find it closed. This is due to the heavy rainfall that brought about 25 feet of floodwater to the underground level of the zoo, damaging the heating systems. 

The pre-Sukkos rainfall dumped about 9 inches of rain on the area in a very short time. The two floors of the underground area—housing the zoo’s infrastructure—were completely submerged. 

The zoo is home to about 750 animals. Thankfully, they are all doing well, partly due to backup generators brought in by the Wildlife Conservation Society on the morning of the storm. 

Zoo officials estimate that it will cost many millions of dollars to repair the damaged infrastructure, and they could not give a date for the reopening of the zoo.