Zoos Feel Financial Pinch

Animal shelters are not the only institutions feeling the pinch of the recent economic downturn. On Sunday, the New York Times reported on the cost-cutting measures that regional zoos are being forced to undertake.

Beardsley Zoo, in Fairfax Connecticut, has been forced to put its plans for a new exhibit with spider monkeys, jaguars and anteaters on hold and recently laid off three employees, which is actually more than 10 percent of its small staff. "It's a very anxious time for us," said Gregg, Dancho, director of the zoo.

Even larger zoos are feeling the pinch. The New York Zoos, Botanical Gardens,and Aquarium Program has lost $5 million from its annual state grant, a fact that will trickle down to all programs sponsored by all three institutions.

Zoos are interesting institutions. There is a part of me that respects the conservation and breeding work that inspires many institutions; there is an equal part that believes animals should not be kept behind bars. But the bottom line is, once they are, they need to be fed and cared for, all of which requires money.

"We're not a museum, so you can't just close down a wing," explains Jonathan Meigs, director of the Trevor Zoo, on the campus of the Millbrook School, also in Conn. Ideally in this climate of downsizing, one would like to see some consolidation on the part of zoos which theoretically perhaps means that the strongest will survive. The problem may be that those which are the strongest financially may not be the best environments for the animals.

Six Flags Great Adventure, in Jackson, New Jersey, which hosts a seasonal drive-through Safari Park on 1,200 acres, is projecting a booming summer business as people look for amusement closer to home. Personally I do not believe lions, tigers and other animals typically seen on an African safari, should spend the summer in New Jersey, but then again it might be worse to have to confine those creatures in zoo exhibits if the drive-through safari loses its appeal.

You might want to see how your local zoos are faring in these tough times and consider sharing your time, talents or even a few spare dollars with them. The bottom line is that once we are any animal's keeper, we hold that role for their lifetime, in good and bad economic times.