Buzz
Animal parks and zoos are meant to bring joy and entertainment. Ideally, they are places where people can be educated and exposed to species they would otherwise never encounter. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Animal parks have shut down for a variety of reasons, including financial struggles, activist opposition, and harsh weather conditions. These once-bustling sites are now deserted, with their enclosures and buildings left to decay and be overtaken by nature.
10. Warner Brothers Jungle Habitat
One might expect an animal park run by Warner Brothers to be an instant hit, but due to animal attacks, escapes, and local opposition, the park closed within just four years of opening.
The Warner Bros. Jungle Habitat was split into two sections: a zoo where families could stroll through, featuring a petting zoo, reptile house, camel rides, and a snack bar, as well as a safari drive-through area. The safari allowed visitors to observe free-roaming elephants, llamas, lions, and tigers up close, as the animals often approached cars and sometimes even climbed on top of them.
Shortly after the park opened in 1972, an Israeli tourist was attacked by two lions when he extended his hand out of the car window and taunted them during the safari drive. Later, two wolves broke free from their enclosure and wandered into the nearby town of West Milford, New Jersey. A local television host was scratched by a six-month-old tiger cub while filming a special. A few years after, a woman was bitten by a baby elephant, and finally, a rhino damaged a gray Mercedes-Benz by mounting it, mistaking the car for a mate.
The Jungle Habitat lacked traditional rides, and when Warner Brothers attempted to expand the park with a wooden roller coaster, a carousel, and other attractions for both adults and children, local residents opposed the idea, citing noise and traffic concerns. The expansion vote narrowly failed, and Warner Brothers decided to close the park, realizing they could not generate enough revenue without expanding.
The year following the park’s closure, nearly all but 400 of the 1,500 animals were sold. Sadly, nine of them contracted tuberculosis and had to be euthanized, sparking an investigation into why 19 other deceased animals were left unburied and improperly disposed of on the property.
The park is now a popular spot for hiking and biking, with many of the old enclosures and structures still intact.
9. Catskill Game Farm
Although it opened after World War II as a family-friendly zoo where visitors could pet and feed animals, the Catskill Game Farm would soon develop a troubling reputation.
Founded in 1933 as a private animal farm and opening to the public in 1945 in Catskill, New York, the Catskill Game Farm was the first privately owned zoo in the United States and held the title of the largest zoo for a period. It housed deer, bison, yaks, llamas, camels, zebras, and antelopes, with an area where guests could walk through and feed the animals.
The zoo was highly successful upon opening, as the Catskill Mountains were a well-known tourist spot. Its founder, Roland Lindemann, devoted much of his time to expanding the zoo, acquiring rare and endangered species. Eventually, the zoo housed 600 wild animals and 200 domesticated species.
In the early 1990s, the zoo’s reputation took a hit when a news article revealed that animals were being sold to game hunters for 'canned hunts'—where animals are confined in a controlled space, guaranteeing hunters a kill. Inspection records from the Texas Animal Health Commission revealed that over 150 animals were sent to Texas, but what happened to them after that remains unknown. Before the zoo closed in 2006, protests erupted as activists urged the owners to send the animals to sanctuaries. When the park closed and auctioned off the remaining animals, activists fought to purchase them, but many ended up in the hands of the highest-bidding hunters.
In 2012, Ben and Cathy Ballone purchased the property, aiming to restore it and transform the buildings into an inn and campsite. They recently opened the Long Neck Inn in the renovated space of the old giraffe enclosure, giving new life to the once-abandoned park with hopes for a brighter future.
8. Alligatorland
You might expect that in the land of Disney World and Universal Studios, Florida's attraction parks would meet the highest standards, but Alligatorland Safari Zoo proved otherwise.
Located just behind the Gator Motel and a giant 38-meter-long (126 ft) alligator statue, Alligatorland housed over 1,600 exotic animals and birds. Visitors could walk through nearly 7 acres of land and experience the animals up close.
Alligatorland’s troubles began in 1982 when Gatorland filed a lawsuit, claiming that the entrance to Alligatorland, with its giant alligator jaws, closely resembled their own entrance, which had been established since the 1960s. (Alligatorland had opened in the 1970s.)
Soon after, Florida came under fire for how animals were treated, leading to a surprise inspection at Alligatorland. Inspectors discovered that enclosures were subpar, cages were filled with old animal feces, and animals were poorly cared for. The USDA fined Alligatorland’s owner, Darren Browning, $1,500, but Browning refused to pay, opting to represent himself in court. During a two-day trial, he questioned the inspectors' competence but lost the case. Over the next three years, he continued to lose legal battles against the USDA and ultimately sold the property in 1995.
The zoo reopened shortly thereafter under a new name, Jungleland Zoo. However, after enduring flooding, an escaped lioness, further failed USDA inspections, and the economic downturn of the early 2000s, the zoo closed its doors for good in 2002.
The alligator statue in front of Alligatorland was destroyed in 2014, but the park’s structures and walkways remain, with hopes of renovation and a return to its days as an animal attraction.
7. Stanley Park Zoo
The story of how the Stanley Park Zoo in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was founded is quite remarkable: Henry Avison, the park’s superintendent, found an orphaned black bear cub on the grounds and, in an unconventional move, chained it to a stump to keep it safe. Over time, he rescued more animals in need and the zoo gradually expanded. By the time it officially opened in the early 1900s, over 50 animals, both native and exotic, had been cared for or discovered by Avison, and the zoo continued to grow as people donated animals, even after Avison’s passing.
In 1956, the zoo added an aquarium that featured penguins and otters. In 1962, polar bears were donated to the zoo, quickly becoming one of its most popular attractions.
In the 1990s, animal rights activists protested against the zoo, claiming that many of the cages were too small and that the harsh Vancouver weather was unsuitable for several species. In response, the City of Vancouver planned to expand the zoo, but local citizens voted against the expansion and instead called for its closure, which was finalized in 1996.
Most of the animals were transferred to the Greater Vancouver Zoo or relocated to the Stanley Park Children’s Farmyard (which closed in 2011), but one animal remained—Tuk, the 36-year-old polar bear, whose health was too fragile for relocation. He passed away in 1997, marking the official closure of the zoo.
Today, the polar bear pit remains on the grounds, now repurposed as a salmon hatchery. Visitors can still walk through the overgrown vegetation where the zoo once stood.
6. Belle Isle Zoo
Although Detroit is undergoing extensive revitalization, traces of its past struggles with government corruption and economic decline are still evident throughout the city.
One such casualty of the city’s woes was the Belle Isle Zoo, which was closed in 2002 by then-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who attributed the closure to decreasing attendance and budgetary constraints, despite strong protests from local residents.
Belle Isle, situated in the Detroit River between Detroit and Canada, was once a major draw for both locals and visitors, offering attractions like its beaches, nature trails, breathtaking views, and of course, its beloved zoo.
Founded in 1895 with a modest bear pen and a deer herd, the zoo rapidly expanded to house over 150 animals within 15 years, featuring tigers, seals, elephants, and exotic birds. After the opening of the Detroit Zoo, most animals were relocated, and Belle Isle Zoo transformed into a children’s zoo before undergoing a major renovation in the 1980s, when it was renamed 'Safariland.'
The park’s renovation included rustic hut-like structures, wooden walkways, and metal cages, all of which now sit abandoned on the island, overtaken by graffiti, overgrown vegetation, fallen trees blocking paths, and vines encircling the metal. There are currently no plans to reopen the zoo, although the state is focused on restoring other areas of Belle Isle.
5. Groote Schuur Zoo
Imagine being gifted a pair of lions and leopards. What would you do with them? If you were Cecil John Rhodes, you would establish a zoo to house them.
In 1897, Rhodes set up a private menagerie in Cape Town, South Africa, to house his large cats, along with other animals he had received as gifts over the years. After his passing, the state took over Rhodes’s estate, along with his animal collection. New enclosures were built, and the site was renamed Groote Schuur Zoo. Lions, emus, mountain goats, crocodiles, and a variety of other animals were kept in the zoo, which quickly became a popular destination.
The lions, however, were the main attraction, occupying the prime spot and the best enclosures at the rear of the zoo. Zookeeper George Booker became famous for his unique bond with the lions, regularly entering their cages to hand-feed them and even teaching them tricks for visitors. Tragically, he passed away after contracting tetanus from a lion’s bite on his finger.
Between 1975 and 1985, the zoo closed its doors due to rising animal welfare standards and financial difficulties. However, visitors can still wander the overgrown grounds, see the remains of concrete pools, take photos with cement lion statues, and observe the famous lion enclosure.
Interestingly, two tahrs, a species of Himalayan mountain goat, managed to escape to Table Mountain, where they formed a large herd. Today, a population of these goats still roams the mountain, though they are now considered a pest species. Efforts have been made to control their numbers, ensuring that Rhodes's legacy endures.
4. Wildlife Wonderland
Rosie the Shark became an internet sensation when YouTuber and urban explorer Luke McPherson uncovered her decaying remains in a large tank in 2018. The mystery that followed was why Rosie was left there and who had neglected her.
Rosie was once part of Wildlife Wonderland in Bass, Victoria, Australia, a zoo and animal rehabilitation center dedicated to native Australian species, including wombats, kangaroos, koalas, and a variety of birds.
In contrast to many other zoos and parks on this list that were shut down due to allegations of animal cruelty, Wildlife Wonderland was closed because it violated the Wildlife Act of 1975. Without a license to house native animals, the owners were forced to give up the animals and shut down the park in 2012.
Rosie's story took a strange turn when an artist preserved her body after she was trapped in a fishing net and then donated her to the museum. In 2019, due to vandalism that damaged Rosie's tank, the shark was moved to another location in Victoria, called Crystal World.
3. Nay Aug Park Zoo
The Nay Aug Park Zoo in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was once a point of pride for the community, with children raising funds to purchase elephants for the zoo in 1924 and 1935. However, by the end of the century, it had become a symbol of controversy and disgrace.
Although the zoo once attracted up to 500 visitors a day, poor maintenance of the animal enclosures led to public criticism. In 1963, a malfunctioning heating system caused the deaths of four monkeys due to exposure. That same year, a lioness entered the cage of two cubs through a faulty door, resulting in their deaths. Over the years, there were numerous incidents, including a monkey escaping and biting a zookeeper, an elephant choking on a stuffed toy thrown into her cage, and escapes by an alligator, a monkey, and two black bears, all of which were shot and killed. Parade magazine would later label the zoo as one of the ten worst in the United States.
Facing financial hardships, the zoo shut down in 1988, with Toni the elephant being the last animal to leave. In 2003, the zoo briefly reopened as the Genesis Wildlife Center, but after public outrage over animal mistreatment and a lack of improvements to the facilities, the zoo was forced to close once again in 2009.
While the zoo no longer houses exotic animals, the original main building of Nay Aug Zoo has been repurposed by the charity Street Cats into a low-cost spay and neuter clinic for cats and dogs, with many cats residing in the building while waiting for adoption.
2. Southport Zoo
The official reason for the closure of the Southport Zoo in Southport, Merseyside, England, was that the city council chose not to renew the lease held by owners Carol and Douglas Petrie. This decision allowed Pleasureland, a nearby theme park, to expand its attractions and operations.
However, it is more commonly believed that the real reason behind the lease refusal was the growing frustration of the city council with the constant protests and picketing organized by animal rights groups opposed to the zoo.
Though the zoo was relatively small, housing only 154 species—mainly birds and invertebrates—the negative press surrounding it was substantial. It was even labeled as one of the worst zoos in the UK by the Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS). Critics claimed to have gathered testimony from visitors and former staff members who alleged that animals faced poor treatment, confinement, and a lack of mental stimulation. The Petries denied these accusations, and an investigation found no clear evidence of abuse, leading to questions about the government's inspector selection process, given the strong ties many inspectors had to the zoo industry.
At the heart of the protests were two chimpanzees, Jackie and Jason, whose images appeared on promotional material meant to draw attention to their plight. They were said to be kept in small, isolated cages with minimal social interaction or enrichment. Despite an offer from a primate sanctuary in Dorset to provide them with a new home, the Petries refused, arguing that moving them would not be in the best interest of the animals.
In 2004, the Petries ultimately lost their legal battle to keep the zoo operational, leading to the relocation of the animals to various zoos throughout England and Wales. The property was repurposed in 2010 as 'Battlefield Live Southport,' an outdoor combat gaming venue where participants use guns that emit infrared beams.
1. Walt Disney World’s Discovery Island
We've already discussed a failed park by Warner Brothers, but you may be surprised to find Disney included on this list.
Discovery Island was a wildlife and nature park within Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, which featured a variety of native and exotic bird species, lush vegetation, and a sandy beach for guests to enjoy. It operated from April 1974 until its closure in April 1999.
When Walt Disney was scouting land for Disney World, he had big plans for the 11.5-acre island he eventually acquired. Initially called Blackbeard’s Island, he envisioned it as a pirate-themed destination, complete with shipwrecks, forts, and an inn. However, as construction on the park progressed, he shifted his vision towards a more tropical concept, introducing exotic plants and birds, and rebranding it as Treasure Island.
Over time, the island’s focus shifted more toward wildlife conservation. An aviary was built to breed exotic birds, and the island was once again renamed Discovery Island.
In 1989, Discovery Island became embroiled in controversy after a two-month investigation by state and federal authorities led to charges against Disney and five employees. They were accused of shooting at hawks, beating vultures with sticks, and destroying nests and eggs. The investigation revealed that many employees believed they were acting within the park's permits, and they claimed they were carrying out these illegal activities under the guidance of the park's curator, Charlie Cook. Disney ultimately settled out of court.
Following the negative publicity and with the opening of Animal Kingdom, Disney decided to close Discovery Island in April 1999. The animals were relocated to the new Animal Kingdom resort, and the island was left to the forces of nature, allowing the vegetation to reclaim the space.
In 2009, urban explorer Shane Perez and his friends made an after-dark swim to the abandoned island. They captured haunting photos of the decaying buildings and thick overgrowth. Among the remnants, they found old office supplies and various specimens preserved in jars. Although no charges were pressed against the group for trespassing, Disney threatened to ban them from all its parks.
As of now, there are no efforts to restore Discovery Island, leaving it as one of the two abandoned parks at Disney World.
