Man exploring abandonded zoo left astonished when he flings object into pond

Sean King, a YouTuber who had visited many abandoned sites, ventured into the defunct Phuket Zoo in Thailand thinking he would just find empty enclosures and derelict buildings, but he was soon running for his life

A British urban explorer was left stunned when he stumbled across a shocking discovery while exploring what was believed to be an abandoned zoo in Thailand.

Sean King ventured into the defunct Phuket Zoo, in the capital of the country’s Phuket province, expecting to find empty enclosures and overgrown paths. But he soon realised he wasn’t alone.

The content creator, ,known for his YouTube channel @SeanKing5150, who has gained a following filming himself exploring deserted sites, was documenting his travels across Asia. Other places included empty hotels and abandoned water parks and other tourist attractions.

In June 2023 he decided to explore the Phuket zoo, once home to exotic creatures like tigers, monkeys, bears and elephants, but which closed in 2021 due to financial difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic.

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Animal welfare group PETA had welcomed the closure, describing the zoo as ‘hell on Earth for animals’, and saying the remaining creatures were going to be sent to nearby sanctuaries.

But Sean soon discovered there were still some hanging around. In his first video he explained why he wanted to check out the abandoned zoo: “A charity had removed all the animals and relocated them, the biggest rescue of its kind in its history,” he said.

But soon he came face to face with a 12 crocodiles after standing above a pool of water and throwing a brick into the water.

“No way, f***! Mate, they are still in here, f***! You’re having a f***ing laugh. This is abandoned!” he exclaimed, suddenly seeing the crocs emerge from the water. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…nine. There is nine crocodiles. You’re having a laugh. Ten, eleven! Twelve! F***ing hell. Get them out of here.”

“That is a crocodile pen with twelve crocs in,” he said. “No way, I’m out of here, I’ve had enough of that! This ain’t funny anymore. I was looking but they are so camouflaged. That has freaked me out. I do not want a crocodile on my leg. You saw how they reacted when I threw that brick in – they are hungry.”

Further into the zoo, King discovered a lone tiger and a herd of deer. “There’s an ice box there with sausages in,” he noted. “[The tiger] is looking at me. Poor f**king thing. That is outrageous!”

Reflecting on his experience, King remarked, “Phuket Zoo is beyond belief. It was probably the worst zoo when it was open, and now it’s closed, it’s probably even worse still.”

King reported his findings to local charities, and his video has since gone viral, sparking outrage and calls for accountability. One viewer commented, “I truly hope someone who is able to help these animals sees this.”

As of now, it remains unclear what actions have been taken regarding the animals left behind. King’s discovery serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with wildlife care and the consequences of neglect.