Urban explorers love visiting abandoned places for the thrill of it and to discover the hidden histories and beauty of the past.
But one man got a lot more than he bargained for at an abandoned zoo in Thailand.
While visiting the now-defunct Phuket Zoo, British YouTuber Sean King - who documents his travels across Asia and tours of abandoned places - expected to have the whole place to himself.
However, he was shocked to find out that he wasn't alone.
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Prior to its closure in 2021, Phuket Zoo, situated near the Mueang Phuket district, was home to a diverse array of exotic animals, including tigers, monkeys, bears, and elephants.
But it was shrouded in controversy over how it allegedly treated the creatures in its care, being described by PETA as 'hell on Earth for animals'.
The zoo eventually closed due to 'financial concerns' following the pandemic, with the animal rights charity confirming its remaining animals would be transferred to nearby sanctuaries.
Sean headed inside the former zoo in June 2023, saying on YouTube that he'd been inspired to go after 'researching' the place and discovering it had been 'abandoned' for two years.
"A charity had removed all the animals and relocated them, the biggest rescue of its kind in its history," he explained.
But it turns out this wasn't entirely accurate.
While mooching around the neglected site, he ventured towards a spot which he thought 'looked a bit ominous'.
The content creator waded through some thick grass and dodged a big pile of elephant dung before climbing up a series of steps to stand above a pool with a fountain in the middle.
It was there he learned that he was drastically outnumbered.
Peering into the murky water, he said: "No way, f**k! Mate, they are still in here, f**k! You're having a f**king laugh. This is abandoned!
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine... nine. There is nine crocodiles. You're having a laugh. 10, 11! 12! F**king hell. Get them out of here."
Sean then tossed something into the water and the camouflaging crocs promptly emerged from their hiding spots.
"That is a crocodile pen with 12 crocs in," he continued. "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."
Unbelievably, the crocodiles weren't the only animals roaming the neglected zoo.
Sean's footage also showed a herd of deer and a lone tiger, which he believed someone was feeding.
Speaking of the tiger, Sean added: "There's an ice box there with sausages in. [The tiger] is looking at me. Poor f**king thing. That is outrageous!"
"Phuket Zoo is beyond belief," he sighed. "It was probably the worst zoo when it was open and now it's closed, it's probably even worse still."
It's not clear what happened to the animals featured in the video, although it is believed that Phuket Zoo is now truly empty.
Topics: World News, Animals, YouTube
Bec Oakes