Startling images reveal extent of Auckland Zoo flooding

Auckland Zoo is temporarily closed for clean-up after "significant" flooding in recent days.

Two birds have died while other animals were evacuated amid the intense rain.

"The Zoo's most impacted areas are close to Motions Creek," the zoo said on Facebook.

"By Friday afternoon the water was rising to high levels, and our teams took a proactive decision to evacuate some of the animal areas near the creek to higher ground.

"This included the skinks, scheltopusiks and bearded dragons of Lizard Lane, American alligators and New Zealand reptiles."

By Friday evening, the creek "flowed over the top of its stone wall boundary and caused major flooding to the lower lying part of the Zoo – including most areas the creek travels".

"Fortunately, the vast majority of the animals in our care are safe and well.

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"However we recovered the bodies of two small birds on Saturday – a zebra finch and a kotare – that appear to have been overwhelmed by the volume of rain and waterlogged and appear to be the only casualties of the storm."

The clean-up will take several days, and people are asked to check the zoo's social media and website for the latest.