Hurricane Irma: Jungle Island Sees Heavy Tree Damage, Animals OK

MIAMI, FL — Miami's Jungle Island zoological park saw lots of trees damaged by Hurricane Irma, but its 600 monkeys, birds and other animals seem to be OK.

Irma tree damage was more severe than that of Hurricane Andrew, managing director Christopher Gould told the Miami Herald. He wasn't sure when the park would reopen and said workers are still assessing the damage.

"We have weeks of work ahead of us to overcome this type of damage," he said. (For more information on Jungle Island and other Miami stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The park remains closed indefinitely.

Watch: For Florida's Endangered Wildlife, Hurricanes Come With The Territory

After Hurricane Andrew, the park — then known as Parrot Jungle — sustained nearly $5 million in damage and was closed for three weeks.

The animals rode out the storm secured in hurricane-proof enclosures. Gould said specialists will be available to help the animals deal with the stress. All of the animals were back in their habitats by Monday.

Photo credit: Smart Destinations via Flickr/Creative Commons