BRONX NEWS: Three Autos Destroyed by Falling Tree at the Bronx Zoo

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Three Autos Destroyed by Falling Tree at the Bronx Zoo

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, September 6- A large size tree came crashing down at the Bronx Zoo, apparently taking down a fence and destroying several parked vehicles.

Police were called to the Zoo's Southern Boulevard gate, shortly after the incident took place at 1:20 p.m., on Saturday, August 25. The incident was reported at the Asia parking lot near Jungle World.

Initial reports stated that four cars and an, "exterior animal fencing," was compromised, but that no animals were released.

A spokesperson for the zoo first denied that the incident took place. As a pair of reporters arrived at the scene, at least three zoo vehicles blocked the area where police officers and zoo officials were surveying the damage.

A second spokeswoman from the Wildlife Conservation Society claimed it was a tree limb that caused the damage.

Within minutes the two journalists were asked to leave the zoo.

The site of the fallen tree is a stone's-throw away from where seven family members were killed when their car plunged off the Bronx River Parkway and landed in an unused parcel of land within the zoo back on April 29.

After repeated inquiries, Stephen Sautner, the Director of Communications for the Wildlife Conservation Society stated that a press release was sent out to local media outlets, however, Mary Dixon the Vice President of Communications, stated a short time later, "We did not send a release out because no people or animals or exhibits were around or affected."

Dixon continued, "This happened on a road leading into the zoo where cars can park, (but) not in a zoo parking lot. A perimeter fence was affected, not heavily damaged, and no animals were behind those fences, simply a perimeter fence."

Dixon added that the owners of the cars were all assisted during the incident.