Zoos around the UK are under pressure as COVID restrictions threaten funding and footfall to their gates.
The country's four-month lockdown caused an almost 100 per cent drop in visitor revenue, which is crucial to cover the costs of feeding and caring for animals.
Australian born Benjamin Mee, owner of Dartmoor Zoo in the country’s south-west, found himself torn between paying his staff and paying for his animals.
“It’s been really scary because the costs the bills ... there’s absolutely no money at all through the normal channels,” he said.
The 33-acre facility was bought by the Mee family in 2006 in a move that inspired the 2008 book We Bought A Zoo -- and a subsequent movie featuring Matt Damon was released based on his story.
Although zoos and aquariums have been able to reopen outdoor areas since 15 June, subject to guidelines - it is feared the nation’s 48 zoos may never recover from the financial strain put on them over the months of lockdown.
Ben was one of the few zoo owners who had pandemic insurance for his animals -- but even that didn’t spare him.
Dartmoor Zoo was in 2006 and now faces an uncertain future. Source: Dateline
“The insurance companies said we are not paying any money at all until we a see how complicated this,” he said.
But waiting for his insurance company wasn’t an option for Ben, whose zoo requires $21,000(AUD) a week to look after its 250 animals.
“[Waiting] would have meant euthanising animals - endangered tigers, all animals could easily have been euthanised if it was just down to the insurance companies.”
As funding dries up and social distancing measures force zoos to put caps on visitors, the work many zoos do to protect endangered species research and breeding programs is also in peril.
UK Government steps in
The UK government has released a 100 million pound fund for zoos to keep animals alive, in addition to a 14 million pound bailout issued earlier in the pandemic.
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) says even the increased fund will not meet the requirements of some of the UK’s largest and best-known zoos and are urging the Government to make changes to the scheme.
A sustainable approach to conservation
Chris Draper of Born Free, an international charity that campaigns against keeping wild animals in captivity says the pandemic has only highlighted the vulnerabilities of the zoo model.
“But what the whole thing has done is shown that zoos are extremely costly to maintain - they are problematic when they don't work,” Chris said.
Chris backs the government’s actions taken to support zoos through the crisis - but is worried about the future in a post-COVID world.
“The problem is that that's not a sustainable situation in the long term I know the funding is earmarked to run out in March next year," he said.
“If we're still in a situation where zoo visitation is down, what are we going to do after that? What are zoos going to do to protect their animals? What's going to happen to the animals If they have to downscale?
“There's a lot of questions that still remain.”
Chris says the educational and conservational value of zoos has come into question in recent times.
Dartmoor Zoo's ongoing costs totals $21,000AUD a week. Source: Dateline
“What I'm concerned about is that if there is not significantly more effort going into saving natural habitats and the environments, but more money going into saving these species in captivity - then, we've got a problem,” he said.
“Most zoos globally are solely there as visitor attractions. And that, that much is pretty clear.”
More than just a zoo
Back in Dartmoor, a flood of donations from the community has helped Ben meet the zoo’s budget.
“It’s genuinely heartwarming it makes you think people out there care about these animals and this place it is a special place we are trying hard to do the right thing and people appreciate that I’m just so grateful,” he said.
In mid-July, the zoo finally reopened to visitors - with hand sanitising stations installed at the gates.
As visitors come through the gates Ben is convinced the outdoors and places like Dartmoor zoo will play an important role in mental health.
Ben still hasn’t received money from his insurers, so the return of paying customers has come at the right time.
Ben jokes, “my next book is going to be called, never buy a zoo. People wouldn’t believe how much it costs. It’s just not funny.”
