Beloved Massachusetts zoo closed after powerful storm damages animal enclosures: "It was overwhelming"

A beloved Springfield, Massachusetts, zoo is closed, after significant damage from a powerful macroburst on Saturday.

Before the gates at The Zoo in Forest Park can reopen, there's a lot of work to do to make sure it's safe for the animals and the people who come to see them. The animals are safe, but their home took a direct hit that left parts of the zoo unrecognizable.

"It was overwhelming. It was really overwhelming," said zoo executive director Sarah Tsitso.

Enclosures were crushed, narrowly missing animals inside. Fifty-year-old oak trees were ripped from the roots, and debris was scattered everywhere from broken tree limbs.

"To know that every single animal here not only survived but was unharmed and that's just really remarkable," Tsitso said. 

Since Saturday's storm, the people who care for the animals are still figuring out how to put their home back together. More than 220 rescue and rehab animals find sanctuary at the zoo, and many have been reshuffled to other parts of the zoo.

"At the end of the day, all these animals still live here and no matter what's happened we still have to feed the animals, clean up after the animals, take care of them and make sure they're safe and happy and healthy every day," said Tsitso.

The Zoo in Forest Park is a seasonal nonprofit, relying on admission revenue during its limited season.

"We're losing out on $35,000 of revenue every week that we're closed," said Tsitso. "So, the financial part is daunting."

The public is already stepping up, reaching out to offer donations and help with cleanup, hoping there's still a staple for this community to come back to.

"We were really in a bad place when this happened. You never want to see a place you love have something like this happen to it, but the one good part has really been the community rallying around us and showing their love and support for the animals and for the place that so many people come to every year," said Tsitso.