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A major loss of revenue for Europe’s zoos is the fact that visitors were left behind during the spring and Easter weekend due to the coronavirus epidemic. The situation has gotten so bad in Germany that, according to a BBC report, there are directors who are already considering which animals will be the first to be slaughtered to cover costs and feed others.
Verena Kaspari, director of the Neumünster Zoo, says they are already listing which animals will be killed. However, they only want to use this tool as a last resort, and Kaspari says it wouldn’t solve their financial difficulties once and for all. On the other hand, there may come a point when animals fall asleep instead of starving. Feeding many animals in the zoo can only be solved with fresh food, which consumes serious sums.
Also, this zoo is a member of an association, so they are not covered by the German government rescue package to help small businesses overcome the crisis that accompanied the epidemic. The director estimates that the zoo lost about € 175,000 in revenue this spring.
According to a report by the German news agency, German zoos are now collecting donations on the one hand and turning to the German government for help with € 100 million. According to VdZ, the country’s zoo association, unlike other companies, zoos cannot simply freeze their activities temporarily, reducing costs – animals require constant feeding and supervision.
VdZ chief Jörg Junhold says an average German zoo drops from about € 500,000 a week due to the virus.
And there are zoo employees who say this period can also wear down animals: Because these animals grew up among humans, in zoos they are used to always having people around them, and that some species can now lose. As an example, monkeys, parrots and seals were mentioned by an employee of the Berlin zoo.
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