A sea lion escaped the Central Park Zoo and 'explored' after heavy rain flooded New York City. Here are 3 other times flooding helped zoo animals escape.

A hippopotamus was one of many animals that escaped a flooded zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia, and had to be shot with a tranquilizer dart.Associated Press

• Heavy rainfall flooded the streets of New York City, prompting an emergency declaration.
• A sea lion escaped from the Central Park Zoo to "explore the area" during the flooding.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday for New York City after rainwater flooded the streets and filled subway stations across the city. LaGuardia Airport was forced to close access to Terminal A and officials closed FDR Drive in Manhattan because of floodwaters, among other road closures and transportation delays.

Also during the flooding, a female sea lion escaped from the Central Park Zoo and "explored the area" before returning to the zoo, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a statement. The sea lion never breached the zoo's perimeter and was monitored by zoo staff during it's expedition, the statement said.

As rising sea levels continue to threaten New York and other areas, excessive rain has become more likely to cause quick, extreme flooding. Here are three other times that floods and other natural disasters helped zoo animals escape from their enclosures: