De La Hunt Media - KK Radio Network

Duluth fire and police crews assisted Lake Superior Zoo staff in tracking down animals after major flooding. Parts of the zoo were under water, including the train depot. The Polar Shores exhibit, which housed the seals and a polar bear, has been completely flooded out, according to zoo spokeswoman Keely Johnson. The flooding enabled the zoo’s polar bear, Berlin, to escape her exhibit and at one point a seal swam out of its exhibit and was found on Grand Avenue. The bear was tracked down overnight, tranquilized and returned to its cage. Many of the zoo’s animals have drowned, including all but one of the zoo’s barnyard animals. Johnson said the zoo’s donkey, goats and sheep have died. It’s possible others have drowned too, as flooding on the grounds have consumed some of the exhibits, such as the raven and vulture cages. No animals left the zoo grounds and all have been secured. Duluth’s Fond du Lac neighborhood is being evacuated, though it’s not mandatory. As of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, all Minnesota state offices in Duluth were closed due to flooding.