The author visited abandoned structures at the Crandon Park Zoo’s ruins in Florida.
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The story of Miami’s first zoo is a sad one.
A hurricane destroyed the coastal attraction, leaving the cages empty.
The animals that live there today are free.
Elephants, monkeys, tigers, and reptiles once lived on a corner of a South Florida beach, where I found empty cages covered in graffiti and greenery.
The Crandon Park Zoo opened in 1948 as Miami’s first zoo, according to the Miami Herald. Then a hurricane in the 1980s left it in shambles. The park closed, and animals that survived the hurricane were moved to a larger area. In 1991, the zoo ruins reopened as gardens.
I visited the park in October 2021 to see what remained of the abandoned zoo, and I found a natural wildlife sanctuary.
The first thing I noticed was a sign at the entrance warning visitors that crocodiles were present.
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According to Atlas Obscura, the ruins are also home to wild alligators, iguanas, and peacocks.
The walkways through the park made me feel as if I were in a zoo — one where the animals were free.
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Parts of the park were paved, while others felt wild. Some of the land was once a coconut plantation, according to the Miami Herald.
In one shaded area, I spotted what appeared to be an abandoned animal cage embedded in the rocks.
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I thought it looked like it could have been a unique, immersive attraction and wondered what animals may have lived there decades ago.
Some of the abandoned structures were fenced off and covered in graffiti.
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I peered over high, chain-linked fences and spotted remnants of vandalized structures.
But one large structure remained accessible.
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It appeared to once house multiple cages.
Around the back, I noticed caged doors that looked as if they were used to feed the animals inside.
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I was able to see inside a few of the animals’ quarters, which were now empty aside from some leaves, branches, and overgrown vines. The doors were still locked.
The view inside the structures was somewhat haunting.
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Peering inside made me think about the animals that might have gotten stuck inside as hurricane waters filled their enclosures.
I tried to imagine what kind of animals could live in these spaces. Based on their size, maybe monkeys, I thought.
I left the park thinking it’s probably a better home now for the wildlife that has taken over.