8legs: Michigan department of natural resources

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Haunting photos show abandoned Michigan zoo as demolition begins

Demolition begins at the Belle Isle Zoo on Belle Isle in Detroit, a site closed since 2002.
The 13-acre zoo is being cleared with funding from the American Recovery Act.
Officials say infrastructure is deteriorated and dangerous, prompting the cleanup.
The site will be replaced with new trails, improved canal access, and more parking.
Belle Isle Zoo opened in 1895 and was Detroit's historic attraction before the 1956 zoo move.
The zoo's decline accelerated after Detroit built a larger facility in Royal Oak in 1956.
By the late 1990s, the city lacked funding to operate the site, leading to its 2002 closure.
The site drew urban explorers and photographers after closure, until demolition began.
Crews are removing crumbling structures and invasive vegetation as part of the cleanup.

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