I explored the ruins of an abandoned zoo on the coast of Florida. It was overrun by nature, but eerie cages remained.

The author visited abandoned structures at the Crandon Park Zoo's ruins in Florida. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Elephants, monkeys, tigers, and reptiles once lived on a corner of a South Florida beach , where I found empty cages covered in graffiti and greenery.

The Crandon Park Zoo opened in 1948 as Miami's first zoo, according to the Miami Herald . Then a hurricane in the 1980s left it in shambles. The park closed, and animals that survived the hurricane were moved to a larger area. In 1991, the zoo ruins reopened as gardens.

I visited the park in October 2021 to see what remained of the abandoned zoo , and I found a natural wildlife sanctuary.

The first thing I noticed was a sign at the entrance warning visitors that crocodiles were present.

The entrance to the zoo ruins.…