I explored the ruins of an abandoned zoo on the coast of Florida, and it was completely overrun by nature

"In 2021, I explored the ruins of a Miami zoo that was abandoned after hurricanes ravaged the area. Nature has since taken over Crandon Park Zoo. Crocodiles and other wildlife now thrive there. Some abandoned cage structures from the zoo remain, and I got a look inside. On a corner of a South Florida beach, I found empty cages covered in graffiti and greenery."

"Established in the 1940s, the Crandon Park Zoo was Miami's first zoo, according to the Miami Herald. The park closed following the natural disaster. Animals that survived the hurricane were moved to a larger area. In 1991, the zoo ruins reopened as gardens with the goal "not to destroy everything," Kevin Asher, a planner for the county, told the Miami Herald. I visited the park in October 2021 to see what remained of the abandoned zoo, and I found a natural wildlife sanctuary."

Crandon Park Zoo opened in the 1940s as Miami's first zoo. A hurricane in the 1980s devastated the facility and the park subsequently closed, with surviving animals relocated to a larger area. Many cage structures remained abandoned along the South Florida beach, often covered in graffiti and overgrowth. Natural forces reclaimed the site, allowing crocodiles and other wildlife to thrive within the ruins. In 1991 the ruins were repurposed as gardens with the intent "not to destroy everything." An October 2021 visit found the area functioning as a natural wildlife sanctuary among remaining structures.

Read at Business Insider