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KUALA LUMPUR: Zoo Negara is facing a financial crisis due to loss of income caused by the third wave of Covid-19.
Their director of Zoology, Hospital and Veterinary Services and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda, Dr. Mat Naim Ramli, said they only have enough emergency funds for three months.
He said the zoo’s closure since the conditional movement control order (CMCO) was imposed made it difficult to cover operating costs, which total almost RM1 million per month.
He said wages cost RM400,000, food RM350,000 and utilities RM180,000.
According to Mat Naim, revenue had increased during MCO’s payback period.
“Zoo Negara earned RM450,000 in June, RM1 million in July, RM1.3 million in August and RM850,000 in September, but only RM150,000 in October,” he told Bernama.
Recently, Islamic preacher Ebit Lew responded to the call for help and donated 200 kg of meat and 500 kg of fruits and vegetables to feed the animals at Zoo Negara.
Mat Naim said that in the initial stage of the MCO, Zoo Negara (under the Zoological Society of Malaysia) was able to pay for the maintenance of 5,137 animals through the Adopt an Animal program.
He said that the 1.3 million ringgit awarded by the government in April could only cover operating expenses for a month, with 689,000 ringgit used to pay for panda insurance and the remainder for animal feed and medical expenses.
He added that the government helped many zoos during the first wave of the pandemic, “but we have not received any help since the CMCO started on October 14.
“Perhaps the government is still finding the best way to help zoos manage their high operating costs.”
Mat Naim said that donations are welcome and appreciated. For more information visit www.zoonegaramalaysia.my/adopt.html.
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