Many zoos and aquariums are struggling due to the loss of revenue they are facing due to the coronavirus shutdown. In New Zealand a public appeal for help resulted in NZ$230,000 (US$ 137,732) in donations to help pay operating costs. Zoos rely heavily on income from visitor, but while that income is shutoff, animals still need food and care, enclosures need to be cleaned, the list goes on.... Please donate to your local zoo or aquarium or sign up for an annual membership (to use when it is safe).
Orana Wildlife Park on the outskirts of Christchurch is home to 400 wild and domestic animals, including chimps, meerkats, rhinos and giraffes. The zoo has been shut to the public during the lockdown, with keepers, deemed essential workers, working split shifts to stay safe.
Unable to earn any income from visitors, which usually accounts for 95% of its revenue, the zoo is now struggling to pay its weekly NZ$70,000 (US$42,000) food bills, and has appealed to the general public for help. The gorillas alone eat NZ$800 (US$485) worth of vegetables every week.
In just four days more than 4,000 Kiwis have donated more than NZ$230,000.
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