Prospect Zoo Park Remains Closed After Ophelia's Extreme Rain

BROOKLYN, NY — Prospect Park Zoo's gates remain indefinitely closed weeks after remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia inundated the Brooklyn menagerie.

A reopening date has yet to be identified from the temporary closure, stated an update by the Wildlife Conservation Society over the weekend.

The zoo has been shuttered to the public since Sept. 29, when extreme rain caused extensive damage to its boilers, electrical systems and more, according to the society's site.

"There has been millions of dollars of damage to the Prospect Park Zoo," said Craig Piper, Vice President of City Zoos for the Wildlife Conservation Society, in a statement. "As we move from triage to restoration of the facilities, we will continue to assess when we will reopen to the public."

No animals were harmed in the flooding caused by more than 7 inches of rain that in the storm, the zoo's operators said.

Rain and storm sewer run-off deluged the zoo's basements with up to 25 feet of water, the zoo's update states.

The flooding knocked out boilers, HVAC systems, electrical infrastructure and aquatic life support, operators said.

Generators since then have provided all the zoo's power needs, and temporary boilers will have to be used for heat, the update states.

Zoo staff still provided uninterrupted care for all animals even as the floodwaters rose, according to the society's site.

"We plan to restore Prospect Park Zoo and its critical infrastructure in ways that will prevent future flooding of our facilities," Piper said in a statement. "Prospect Park Zoo suffered significant damage during storms Henri and Ida two years ago and we expect these extreme weather patterns will continue in the future due to climate change."