The Chinese virus has disturbed the lifestyle of people and those that thrive on their well-being. Zoo authorities are a worried lot because these are Travel destinations for the young and the old when they want to take a break from their routine life. However, because of strict social distancing norms, there has been a drastic drop in visitors' attendance in the zoos with a corresponding loss of revenue.
Those who run the zoos have no idea of how to come out of the apparent dead-end. Their financial resources are limited, and they fear the animals might face starvation. Visitors have gone into their shells and are waiting for the crisis to blow over, but the animals need food. Incidentally, Coronavirus has led to the closure of Disney theme parks in Anaheim and Orlando.
Sky News makes mention of a zoo in Devon. It seems it has money to take care of the inmates for just two and a half weeks before it closes for good. There are 250 animals in its inventory, and it wants the public to donate so that the inmates do not starve.
The zoo has two Siberian tigers and, as an official explained to a section of the media - "We're a seasonal charity - absolutely dependent on income through the holiday period to keep endangered animals alive." Funds are necessary for not just the food for the tigers but also for associated expenses of the vet and the keepers.
Zoos struggle for finance in the face of coronavirus
The lockdown has forced many zoos on the back foot. They are struggling to come to terms with a situation they had probably never imagined. The cost of running the zoos continue to remain high, and Dartmoor Zoo had no other option but to furlough a portion of its staff while retaining a small percentage for essential work like feeding the animals.
Sky News quotes the Deputy chief executive saying the zoo might have to close down if funds were not forthcoming. She is Coral Jonas, and she has been with the zoo for eight years. She has a passion for the job and animals, but facts are facts. She said - "We'd have to look for homes for these guys, and hopefully, we'd find suitable homes for them, which is not easy considering the animals we've got." She admitted that the only other option would be euthanasia, and the zoo would try not to go in for such drastic measures. It is understandable because those who work with the animals form a bond of sorts with them, and it is difficult to imagine a step like euthanasia to resolve the crisis. The zoo has launched an emergency appeal to raise money.
Coronavirus unsettles zoos in Germany
According to the BBC, zoos are normally crowded during Easter holidays, but fears of Coronavirus and the lockdown have left zoo authorities confused. Some of them are asking for donations to tide over the financial crisis. In fact, a zoo director in northern Germany has gone to the extent of saying that they might have to feed some animals to others for the survival of the zoo. The zoo has even identified animals that would be the first to go. It would be the last resort and certainly not a pleasant one, but that might be inadequate.
Animals miss the company of visitors because of coronavirus
The BBC goes on to add that in the opinion of some zookeepers, coronavirus has an emotional cost for certain animals.
They love to get the attention of the people and miss that. Ms. Hachmeister at Berlin Zoo said, "The apes especially love to watch people." She also talks about seals and parrots who appear to be bored because of the absence of visitors.
Moscow Zoo also mentioned something similar about its two giant pandas who were missing the company of visitors. Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna admits it can manage for the time being by drawing on existing savings. Given the contiguous nature of coronavirus, there is a rescheduling of release dates of Sony, Disney, and Warner Bros movies to 2021. The bottom line is - this disease from China has upset the lives of people from all walks of life, and no one knows when normalcy will return.