Nigerian Zoo Devastated by Floods as Exotic Animals Spill into Streets

In northern Nigeria, catastrophic flooding has inundated a zoo, resulting in a dramatic escape of animals, including dangerous reptiles, into surrounding neighborhoods. The disaster has been triggered by an overflowing dam in the region, leading to some of the most severe flooding the area has experienced in years.

The northeastern state of Borno, one of the hardest-hit regions, is facing a crisis as floodwaters have engulfed a state-run zoo. Officials reported on Tuesday that the deluge had resulted in the deaths of over 80% of the wildlife at the facility. The floodwaters not only caused significant loss of animal life but also carried a range of animals, including crocodiles and snakes, into nearby communities.

A widely circulated video on social media shows an ostrich navigating a submerged road in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital. Manzo Ezekiel, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s disaster management agency, NEMA, said that efforts are underway to recapture the escaped animals. “I believe the zoo managers are working tirelessly to recover as many of the animals as possible,” Ezekiel said. “These animals could pose a serious danger to the public if not contained.”

Maiduguri remains heavily flooded after the Alau Dam, situated 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of the city, overflowed over the weekend. The dam’s breach has led to extensive property damage, with entire houses submerged under the rising waters. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has described the flooding in Maiduguri as the worst in the past 30 years.

While no deaths have been confirmed directly related to the flooding in Maiduguri, the wider impact of recent floods across Nigeria has been severe. Over the past few weeks, more than 200 people have lost their lives due to the floods in various parts of the country. The UN agency estimates that approximately 280,000 individuals have been affected in Maiduguri alone, with around 200,000 displaced within the city.

The recent flooding across Nigeria has caused 229 deaths and displaced over 386,000 people, according to the latest data from NEMA. Northern Nigeria, in particular, has borne the brunt of these floods. NEMA reported that the collapse of one of the spillways at the Borno dam contributed to a significant increase in water flow, worsening the flooding in the surrounding areas.

Ezekiel described the situation as “intense” and beyond initial forecasts. “The volume of water rushing into the town was not anticipated,” he noted.

Nigeria’s meteorological agency, NIMET, had previously issued warnings about the potential for flash floods due to heavy rains. In addition, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had cautioned about rising water levels in the Niger River, urging states to remain vigilant.

The increase in extreme rainfall events is part of a broader trend, with climate change projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicating that such events will become more frequent and intense across Africa, including Nigeria.

As the region grapples with this unprecedented flooding, the immediate focus remains on managing the fallout—both in terms of human safety and the recovery of displaced animals. The crisis underscores the urgent need for improved flood management and disaster preparedness as Nigeria faces a future of increasingly severe weather events driven by climate change.