The Phoenix Zoo will reopen Friday morning after Monday night’s monsoon downed trees, toppled fences and shade structures.
Zoo spokeswoman Linda Hardwick said staffers and cleanup crews have been working around the clock to get things back in order.
"We have several large bins that are from the City of Tempe and City of Phoenix that have been filled; as well as multiple debris piles on the ground at the back of zoo and in separate areas where we were dumping our branches, and tree trunks and debris," she said. "I would say we had nearly 60 to 70 employees who were focused on cleaning up the zoo and helping with tree removal and keepers inside exhibits, working to get the exhibits ready to go so animals could be put out."
Hardwick said that two trees that are part of the ZooLIghts display were destroyed in the storm. However, that will not affect the popular light show, which takes place every year around the holidays. The zoo also lost several trees that were older than the zoo itself.
None of the animals were hurt in the storm.
