US zoos closed due to COVID-19 and duration

Dallas Zoo reopened sometime recently, I was on their website looking for something else and noticed it. I didn't check Fort Worth or DWA, both may be open.
 
According to Dr. Joel Parrot, Oakland Zoo is on the verge of a permanent closure if they're not allowed to open in July.

Now, the zoo is down to a dire $3.2 million in its emergency reserve fund. To put that into perspective, the cost to keep the zoo running at its lowest possible operating budget is $1.2 million per month, focused on caring for the animals and 24/7 public safety.
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“What we’re confronted with is this: If there’s not going to be another PPP program from the federal government, and the state’s out of money, and the county can’t help … we’re at a loss," said Parrott. "This staff is so committed; they would volunteer to take care of the animals for free before leaving their responsibility. Including me. That’s not sustainable, though.”
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Full article here: Oakland Zoo faces permanent closure if it doesn't reopen this month
 
I think a lot of American zoos are going to hit a wall in the next couple of months.

Virtually the entire country, except the Northeast, has squandered the past three months Places like California, Texas, Florida and Arizona might as well not have closed *anything* back then because they are in an even worse position than they were in April.

I don’t believe there is any foreseeable point at which zoos in these or many other states will be able to sustainably reopen.

This is going to be a heart-breaking few months for us all.
 
CGSwans said:
I think a lot of American zoos are going to hit a wall in the next couple of months.

Virtually the entire country, except the Northeast, has squandered the past three months Places like California, Texas, Florida and Arizona might as well not have closed *anything* back then because they are in an even worse position than they were in April.

I don’t believe there is any foreseeable point at which zoos in these or many other states will be able to sustainably reopen.

This is going to be a heart-breaking few months for us all.
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Florida still mostly open despite the surge
 
Run down of the current status of California's facilities:

Sequoia Park - OPEN
Turtle Bay Exploration Park - OPEN
Sacramento - OPEN
Folsom - CLOSED (Target July 17)
Safari West - OPEN
San Francisco - CLOSED
Aquarium of the Bay - CLOSED
CuriOdessey - OPEN
California Academy of Sciences - CLOSED
Oakland - CLOSED
Monterey Bay Aquarium - CLOSED (Target July 13)
Fresno Chaffee - OPEN
Charles Paddock - OPEN
Santa Barbara - OPEN
California Living Museum - CLOSED
Los Angeles - CLOSED
Aquarium of the Pacific - PARTLY OPEN
San Diego Zoo Safari Park - OPEN
San Diego Zoo - OPEN
SeaWorld San Diego - CLOSED ("Opening Soom")
 
Monterey Bay Aquarium has been forced to postpone indefinitely only days from reopening.

DWA plans to reopen July 14th.

Sacramento Zoo should be allowed to stay open despite new county restrictions, awaiting official response from the zoo regarding the update.
 
CGSwans said:
I think a lot of American zoos are going to hit a wall in the next couple of months.

Virtually the entire country, except the Northeast, has squandered the past three months Places like California, Texas, Florida and Arizona might as well not have closed *anything* back then because they are in an even worse position than they were in April.
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I don't remember what Texas did, but Florida and Arizona barely shut down. They *might* have made it to two weeks before they got bored. And even then it was a half-arsed closure.

California, however, was the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, but have completely bungled the reopening. Nobody has stated why, but I suspect it's directly tied to the state's revenue. Since states are required to have a balanced budget by law, and, since the worst possible people are in charge in Washington, with zero revenue coming in something had to be done. Hence the spectacular rise in new cases.


CGSwans said:
I don’t believe there is any foreseeable point at which zoos in these or many other states will be able to sustainably reopen.
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I broke my non-quarantined Quarantine and made my first visit to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Sunday, and I'm no longer certain zoos should or can be open. Colorado has been a strange little island of wellness, but I don't see how it's going to last.

The zoo was pretty good at controlling access at the entrance, but once past the gates it was one giant scrum. My rough estimate is that 70% of the guests were unmasked, and about 30% wore masks. That includes staff.

Food service areas were understaffed, and with one guy manning the register meant I spent ~15 minutes in a group of unmasked people who weren't social distancing. People see a gap and assume you're not in line.

Limiting viewing areas for the animal's well-being is great, but it means that everybody is crammed into one small space for an extended period of time.

Animal feeding areas were a giant scrum. There were dozens of people milling around the giraffes oblivious to the social distancing tables the zoo put out. The crowd around the elephants was better, but nobody even gave a thought about social distancing.

The zoo did have at least one guy walking around cleaning surfaces in the various exhibits, as well as several handwashing and hand sanitizer stations. So there was that. But without actual enforcement, the punters are going to resort to old habits. Masks need to be enforced, and violaters tossed.

I'd like for zoos to be open, as we all would, but I'm no longer convinced that's a good idea.
 
Buldeo said:
I broke my non-quarantined Quarantine and made my first visit to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Sunday, and I'm no longer certain zoos should or can be open. Colorado has been a strange little island of wellness, but I don't see how it's going to last.

The zoo was pretty good at controlling access at the entrance, but once past the gates it was one giant scrum. My rough estimate is that 70% of the guests were unmasked, and about 30% wore masks. That includes staff.

Food service areas were understaffed, and with one guy manning the register meant I spent ~15 minutes in a group of unmasked people who weren't social distancing. People see a gap and assume you're not in line.

Limiting viewing areas for the animal's well-being is great, but it means that everybody is crammed into one small space for an extended period of time.

Animal feeding areas were a giant scrum. There were dozens of people milling around the giraffes oblivious to the social distancing tables the zoo put out. The crowd around the elephants was better, but nobody even gave a thought about social distancing.

The zoo did have at least one guy walking around cleaning surfaces in the various exhibits, as well as several handwashing and hand sanitizer stations. So there was that. But without actual enforcement, the punters are going to resort to old habits. Masks need to be enforced, and violaters tossed.

I'd like for zoos to be open, as we all would, but I'm no longer convinced that's a good idea.
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What you observe is commonplace anywhere public in my area, and most places so I hear. Social distancing is gone, most people don't wear masks unless forced, and everybody's touchy. I don't think going back to full closure will be effective if attempted honestly.
 
Buldeo said:
I don't remember what Texas did, but Florida and Arizona barely shut down. They *might* have made it to two weeks before they got bored. And even then it was a half-arsed closure.

California, however, was the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, but have completely bungled the reopening. Nobody has stated why, but I suspect it's directly tied to the state's revenue. Since states are required to have a balanced budget by law, and, since the worst possible people are in charge in Washington, with zero revenue coming in something had to be done. Hence the spectacular rise in new cases.




I broke my non-quarantined Quarantine and made my first visit to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Sunday, and I'm no longer certain zoos should or can be open. Colorado has been a strange little island of wellness, but I don't see how it's going to last.

The zoo was pretty good at controlling access at the entrance, but once past the gates it was one giant scrum. My rough estimate is that 70% of the guests were unmasked, and about 30% wore masks. That includes staff.

Food service areas were understaffed, and with one guy manning the register meant I spent ~15 minutes in a group of unmasked people who weren't social distancing. People see a gap and assume you're not in line.

Limiting viewing areas for the animal's well-being is great, but it means that everybody is crammed into one small space for an extended period of time.

Animal feeding areas were a giant scrum. There were dozens of people milling around the giraffes oblivious to the social distancing tables the zoo put out. The crowd around the elephants was better, but nobody even gave a thought about social distancing.

The zoo did have at least one guy walking around cleaning surfaces in the various exhibits, as well as several handwashing and hand sanitizer stations. So there was that. But without actual enforcement, the punters are going to resort to old habits. Masks need to be enforced, and violaters tossed.

I'd like for zoos to be open, as we all would, but I'm no longer convinced that's a good idea.
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I’m sure as you know already Colorado Springs shouldn’t be used as a great example of people taking COVID seriously. I’ll personally visit Denver soon and see if the guests there are better behaved but I personally agree with your sentiments on the guests at CMZ.
 
Echobeast said:
I’m sure as you know already Colorado Springs shouldn’t be used as a great example of people taking COVID seriously. I’ll personally visit Denver soon and see if the guests there are better behaved but I personally agree with your sentiments on the guests at CMZ.
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You mean the guy in the MAGA hat or the guy in the Don't Tread on Me shirt aren't good faith actors?! Shocking! No, seriously, I'd be less concerned if they weren't allowed to leave the vicinity of their burg.

The site kept crashing on me whenever I've tried to get tickets for Denver Zoo so I gave up for the time being. Maybe towards the end of the month I'll try again. That said, even if Denver's guests are as badly behaved, I'd be slightly less concerned due to the walkability of the grounds. Unlike Cheyenne Mountain's rather narrow critical path, Denver's wide sidewalks offer side routes, etc.

And I'd like to visit the new new bachelor troop before they get bored with their new habitat.
 
I have been really surprised at the confidence people have about visiting reopened zoos, particularly those visitors who are no longer young. While many people do social distance and do wear masks, I am sure several people at the zoo each day have Covid 19 and don't know it.
I am waiting for a really rainy day.
 
Gabby said:
I have been really surprised at the confidence people have about visiting reopened zoos, particularly those visitors who are no longer young. While many people do social distance and do wear masks, I am sure several people at the zoo each day have Covid 19 and don't know it.
I am waiting for a really rainy day.
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I've gone to Columbus 3 times since they reopened, it's not as bad as I thought it would be, most try to distance but you always gotta have some jerk that gets right on top of you, and just can't wait their turn. Also smaller zoos I've noticed more people keeping distance but not as many wearing masks.
 
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