Best Zoo in Best is forced to close to the public on Boxing Day. The zoo grounds are largely flooded due to heavy rainfall. There is 10 to 15 centimeters of water, making the area impassable. Many animal enclosures are also flooded, and the zoo has its hands full getting the animals onto dry land.
Powerless, owner Jos Nooren saw in recent days how the water rose higher and higher in his zoo. Video footage posted on Facebook shows that the park has been severely flooded.
Most animals are now warm and dry again, says Nooren. “One serval – a feline, ed. – is a bit numb, we kept it near the stove. In that enclosure the water was 15 centimeters high, so they kept walking with their paws through the wetness. This cooled them down considerably. .”
Wombats and alpacas sit high and dry
Best Zoo employees have made increases in the enclosures for the wombats, servals, alpacas and Girgentana goats. “We have locked them in there so that they stay dry. And then they know how to maintain their temperature,” says Nooren.
Slowly but surely the water level is dropping, but the fire brigade is still busy pumping out the water. Rainwater flows from the surrounding ditches onto the site, and all it takes is another heavy rain shower and the situation remains dire.
Hoping for some sun
Nooren is not worried: “It is not in my nature to get stuck in problems. We look at how we can solve things moment by moment. But of course I hope for some sun in the near future.”
In the thirteen years that he has been the owner, Nooren has never had to close its doors due to extreme weather conditions. He expects to reopen on Wednesday. “That is, if it doesn’t rain too much tonight.” Normally Best Zoo attracts a few thousand visitors during the Christmas holidays.