The New York Zoo hoax facts for kids

The New York Zoo hoax was a made-up story that caused a lot of panic. On November 9, 1874, a newspaper called the New York Herald printed a fake report. It said that dangerous animals had escaped from the Central Park Zoo. This event is also known as The Central Park Zoo Escape or the Central Park Menagerie Scare of 1874.

What Was the Zoo Hoax?

The newspaper story warned that wild animals were loose in New York City. It claimed that 49 people had died and 200 were hurt. Many readers believed the story and became very scared. They panicked, even though the end of the article said it was all a joke.

Why Did They Create the Hoax?

The people who wrote the story later explained why they did it. They wanted to show how weak the safety rules were at the zoo. They hoped to make people pay more attention to these issues. The writers were surprised by how much people reacted to their fake news story.

Images for kids

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  The Temperate Zone, one of the three main areas at Central Park Zoo

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  Lehman Gates

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  1869, The Dovecote

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  Children's Zoo

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  Headline for New York Herald story