A whistleblower has alleged a government coverup of severe animal abuse at the Holtsville Wildlife Ecology Center in Long Island.
Since the 1970s, dozens of animals have died or disappeared at the Holtsville Wildlife Ecology Center, a roadside zoo managed by the local highway department and funded by taxpayers. Many animals have died there in the past year alone, including a pig named Wilbur and a white-tailed deer named Clarice. Many of these deaths would have been preventable had proper veterinary care been provided. Now, the roadside zoo is under increased scrutiny after whistleblowers have come forward.
Honey the Black Bear
Honey, a 27-year-old black bear, was euthanized in fall 2024 after years of alleged neglect. She was kept in a small concrete enclosure and blasted with a high-pressure hose to force her to move. Honey exhibited stereotypic behavior (swaying back and forth), which is a sign of severe psychological distress in captive wild animals. Honey had frequent urinary tract infections and broken and rotted teeth, according to local advocates.
Animal Cruelty Coverup
In February 2025, a former Brookhaven officer who was charged with patrolling the Holtsville Ecology Site shared more heartbreaking abuses, including a mountain lion who drowned in their own enclosure and staff members cutting animals with razor blades. The officer told the media that Ecology Center leadership ordered her not to report deaths. Another employee stated that she quit almost immediately after seeing animals go unfed and be held in “cramped, deteriorating conditions.”
An employee at a nearby animal hospital also testified before the Town of Brookhaven that while treating Nessy, a Peking duck, for severe lead poisoning, “…it was made abundantly clear that the Holtsville Ecology Site wanted to work against medical advice.”
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, which licenses the facility, have opened investigations.
It’s far past time that this cruel facility be shut down. Protect wild animals by avoiding zoos and marine amusement parks and supporting accredited sanctuaries instead.