Zoos and Economic Collapse

glyn said:
read the comments on the bottom of the page about the bronx article. how stupid.
to be honest, i know its a significant cut in funding, but its New York! its $9million dollars; hardly an amount of money you would turn your nose up at but the shortfall could surely be raised elsewhere.
if, on the otherhand, the NSW State Government in Australia said it was slashing its support for Zoos in NSW then it would be cause for panic, because the figure there potentially could run into the tens of millions.
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I think raising $9million in New York to build a new exhibit is a little bit challenging.
Raising that to fund daily operations and pay salaries is absolutely impossible. No one donates to operating expenses. Zoos always wish they could raise such funds but it is a very rare thing to accomplish. (The Minnesota Zoo last year raised private funds to endow the CEO's position).

One problem zoos have is that they get funds to build new exhibits but cannot afford to maintain them. Some newer exhibit fund-raising plans do include an endowment for up-keep..but that is not common.
 
Zooplantman said:
(The Minnesota Zoo last year raised private funds to endow the CEO's position).


Thats interesting fund raising!



One problem zoos have is that they get funds to build new exhibits but cannot afford to maintain them. Some newer exhibit fund-raising plans do include an endowment for up-keep..but that is not common.
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When you say up-keep. Is this for staff or ongoing maintence? Had not thought about this. The new multi million dollar exhibits require allot of up-keep for there apearence? strength? Plant life guess it would alll add up very quickly
 
New exhibits often use parts of the zoo that were previously unused or under-used, so additional staff is required. More complex landscapes require more and better gardeners. Replacing a concrete exhibit with a landscaped one requires all sorts of additional labor to keep it green. New animals in the collection might require new keepers and/or better educated keepers. It goes on and on.

The funds for design/construction and usually separate and easier to raise then the funds to staff and buy supplies (annual addition of sand or feeding new animals or paying for heat in new building, etc.). Sometimes construction funds will buy some needed maintenance equipment (mowers, etc).

sadly, people are more excited about creating the Stuart Webster Woolly Mammoth Exhibit then they are about the Stuart Webster Fund For Forage and Keepers
 
I would agree with Zooplantman about free days. We rarely have any sort of vandalism or difficulty with the public but if we do it is on a free day or a day with greatly reduced prices. our worst day ever was when a local supermarket sponsored a promotion to raise money for the zoo. Go to the store on a designated day, buy anything at all, and your entire family got in free. We had over 21,000 folks that day and a significant number of the staff threatened to quit if they ever did that again. Now just the children get in free and they must be accompanied by adults. It's still crowded but manageable. And the store donates a portion of their gross sales for the day.
 
Zooplantman said:
Yes, that was not my most compassionate moment.
The Free Wednesday crowds are HUGE (in the Summer its hard to get near a viewing area) and a fair percentage are vandals. Almost all damage to the zoo and all stupid actions (like climbing into the lion exhibit) occur on free Wednesdays.
The zoo used to be free most days and over time reduced it to the one day a week in exchange for which they continued to get some public funding. They have often wanted to eliminate free days. Perhaps they'll make it once a month or once a season as a compromise.
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While I understand where you're coming from on this one, I really hope Donation-based days are here to stay. I always donate when I go what I can--normally around $5 because that's what I can afford to donate. In the event they take away the free day, I can assure you it's going to be a good many years before I can save up to visit the zoo again. Yes, save up. I've got another 5 to 10 years before a $13 item isn't a huge luxury. And the fact that the donation based admission days draw such huge crowds shows I'm clearly not the only one.

And in my mind, when it comes down to it....zoos shouldn't be a privilege for those who can afford them. Zoos in part were created so that you didn't have to pay thousands of dollars to fly to alternate continents just to see wildlife. And yes, zoos have operating costs and need money to operate. That's a given--they need to charge admission to work. I'm not saying anything to that. I'm saying thought that the wonderful education zoos provide--especially a zoo such as the Bronx Zoo--shouldn't be limited to those with money. I've gone to zoo at least 38 to 45 of the last 52 donation based days and I don't tend to have a problem with crowding. I'm not one of those people who expects a zoo to myself or whatnot though. It actually felt weird on xmas eve being there with so few people (because of snow).

I think some things that could help alleviate matters though would be if any of the other zoos in the city (namely Central Park) had similar donation based hours. The aquarium has 1.5 hours free on Fridays but is too far out for most people. I think eliminating the donation day will ultimately hurt the zoo--you lose the concession and gift shop sales of those large crowds. You also lose the money on the monorail in summer and Congo and all the other rides. And no matter what, people will be stupid at a zoo. The crowds the day draws just make the odds of that better. But I've seen people climb half way into the otter display at Jungleworld before when they were one of only maybe 10 other people at the zoo that day.
 
Tigertiger--I do understand what you're saying. Many people can't afford the cost of a trip to the zoo, especially with the economy in the dumps. We need to think of a more creative way to facilitate family visits without overwhelming the zoo with hordes of unruly visitors. Perhaps pursuing sponsored days by local businesses or individuals, adopt-a-family days, more zoo outreach to schools and local organizations, or reduced price days? I'm sure there are creative folks who could come up with other ideas?
 
Rookeyper: I think especially with NY one of the biggest problems is the WCS puts the burden of zoo education on the Bronx. There are four other accredited institutions in the city that are all easily accessible and each have their own perks (though I could give a small lecture on how I think we should just demolish the PP zoo & start over). Yes, the Bronx is the best zoo in the city--possibly in the country for some too & certainly for the coast. Most of the educational outreach is at Bronx. Most of the volunteers are at Bronx. I think that if there was some way to spread the wealth, in a sense, the Bronx would feel less of the burden of the free day. I don't know exactly how that could be accomplished--perhaps more collaborative programs at the other zoos that work with the Bronx to create great presentations at other area zoos. Theoretically, the 'free day' is a reduced admission day at Bronx--it's donation based, but perhaps if there was a minimum required it would help (such as $5).

I do think what benefits Bronx is that three of the most 'fun' areas to younger groups (Butterfly Garden, Congo & Asia) are pay-per-visit areas no matter what the admission is. I feel like I recall a day where Jungleworld used to charge but only on the free day. I think something like that is perhaps the best idea; that the exhibits that can't accommodate crowds as easily but have a nice draw factor (Jungleworld, WoD, and more recently...Madagascar) charge a small nominal fee on free days to offset both the cost of the day and the potential overload some exhibits may have.
 
tigertiger said:
Rookeyper: I think especially with NY one of the biggest problems is the WCS puts the burden of zoo education on the Bronx. There are four other accredited institutions in the city that are all easily accessible and each have their own perks (though I could give a small lecture on how I think we should just demolish the PP zoo & start over). Yes, the Bronx is the best zoo in the city--possibly in the country for some too & certainly for the coast. Most of the educational outreach is at Bronx. Most of the volunteers are at Bronx. I think that if there was some way to spread the wealth, in a sense, the Bronx would feel less of the burden of the free day. I don't know exactly how that could be accomplished--perhaps more collaborative programs at the other zoos that work with the Bronx to create great presentations at other area zoos. Theoretically, the 'free day' is a reduced admission day at Bronx--it's donation based, but perhaps if there was a minimum required it would help (such as $5).
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They can't really "spread the wealth" as you suggest. WCS owns the Bronx Zoo and the NY Aquarium. The zoos in Central Park, Queens and Brooklyn are NYCity-owned. WCS merely operates them. Financially they are kind of separate entities.
 
Zooplantman said:
They can't really "spread the wealth" as you suggest. WCS owns the Bronx Zoo and the NY Aquarium. The zoos in Central Park, Queens and Brooklyn are NYCity-owned. WCS merely operates them. Financially they are kind of separate entities.
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Perhaps I used the wrong phrasing--I don't mean economically necessarily, I mean on a practical level. In the sense of joint-programs and the like, not in the sense of spreading funding.
 
Zooplantman

This from Naples Zoo

Quote
Private donors are eager to step forward because they can see where their investments go. Their money doesn’t go toward operating expenses. It goes toward the “fun stuff,” Tetzlaff said.
End Quote

wonder how this energy of private donors can go towards boring! "operating expenses"
 
Urgent Help Needed

A small zoo in Scotland is in danger of closing down in the next couple of months. Having visited the place a number of times over the summer I have to say it is my favourite zoo.

They are appealing for any sponsorship, donations or help and ideas that can be given.

SAVE FIVE SISTERS ZOO!

Please x

Help save our Zoo

Quotes from the website:

"The Five Sisters Zoo has been welcoming visitors for almost 5 years. All who have been to see our wildlife have enjoyed their visit. However with the current climate and reduced ticket sales, we only have enough funds to survive for two more months at the most.

If you can in anyway help us please get in touch

Any help will be most appreciated from fundraising ideas to company sponsorship - business web links can be added to our web site with your company logo. The weekly animal feeding cost is £500 and the animal enclosure heating is £700 a week. On top of this we have payroll expenses to ensure the welfare of all our animals. Please call or email us if you can help in any way."
 
zooman said:
Zooplantman

This from Naples Zoo

Quote
Private donors are eager to step forward because they can see where their investments go. Their money doesn’t go toward operating expenses. It goes toward the “fun stuff,” Tetzlaff said.
End Quote

wonder how this energy of private donors can go towards boring! "operating expenses"
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Yeah, Development Directors (fund raisers) have asked that question for years. It would be a truly philanthropic person who donated simply to sustain a facility rather than to have their name engraved on something. There are some such. Brooke Astor was a great benefactor of the Bronx Zoo, supporting operations as well as new exhibits.
 
No bailout for Zoos or Aquariums

reduakari said:
Not even close. On average, US zoos receive 40% or more of their operating expense dollars from taxpayer sources. The picture is grim, to say the least.

One of the biggest building booms for zoos in American history happened at the end of the Great Depression, part of a huge public works program intended to bolster the economy. A similar program is being discussed as a partial solution to the current crisis. So maybe some of those "multi-million dollar American enclosures" will indeed be built.
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Ain't gonna happen:
The Associated Press: House Democrats propose $825 billion stimulus bill

See very end of article
 
zooman said:
That is dissapointing, i was hoping for a oposite outcome.
So then thats it for goverment funded stmulus zoo development for the forceable future! Damn IT
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Quite honestly, this whole Obama idea of doing a new FDR-style New Deal was always a weird idea. He (BHO) deserves credit for trying, but he's mistaken in thinking that the 2009 US economy is similar to the 1930s economy. Back then, we were much more of a blue collar workforce, thus all of FDR's public works programs really provided good jobs for real unemployed workers. Today, is it really feasible to think that former Pfizer salespeople and GM auto salesmen are going to work in the construction industry, building bridges or highways (or new zoo exhibits)? Nice try!

The bottom line for zoos is that they are going to have to be more realistic and capitalistic -- that is, giving the people what they want, FUN! Zoos such as Omaha, Columbus, Toledo, Portland, Memphis, the Georgia Aquarium, and of course Disney's Animal Kingdom are already doing this -- and succeeding. Others, however, have been poisoned by idealism, thinking they can ignore entertaining their customers and instead concentrate ONLY on conservation and education. As long as the taxpayers were footing the bill, they could afford this idealism, but not anymore. I'm not at all opposed to conservation and education, but if there's no money, they won't be possible anymore. Zoos have to concentrate first on their attendance gate, and do so by providing a quality entertainment product for their paying customers.

In the end, zoos need to follow the advice of none other than Walt Disney himself, when he said, "I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained." Zoo directors like Omaha's Lee Simmons and Columbus' Jack Hanna have been following this directive for years. They've been scorned by some purists for this, but they are immensely successful, and their zoos will easily weather these financial times.
 
ANyhuis said:
Zoos have to concentrate first on their attendance gate, and do so by providing a quality entertainment product for their paying customers.=QUOTE]

I could not agree more!

QUOTE]"I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained." =QUOTE]

What a great quote from Walt Disney
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I think that it is great that many zoos are striving to become more entertaining, and hopefully there will be rebuilding projects in a type of "New Deal" program initiated by the Obama administration. However, it will be tough to incorporate zoos into the economic situation, and the tarnished Presidency has taken a blow after 8 years of almost complete incompetence. It is a tricky time politically in the U.S., and since I am a keen follower of both Canadian and especially American politics then allow me to delve into a brief analysis.

Just about every major newspaper, magazine and online publication has been printing article after article declaring George W. Bush as possibly the all-time worst American President. It appears that Richard Nixon has a slight edge due to that man's resignation, but Dick Cheney combines with "Dubya" Bush to create what must be the worst U.S. administration EVER. Even Bush's strongest allies have been placing him on the list of terrible Presidents, and when there was $12 billion a month being spent on the long-suffering and now highly detested Iraq War then no wonder the infrastructure of the country has been hit in such devastating economic times.

As far as zoos are concerned, now that the embarrassing George "I can barely mumble through a cohesive, understandable speech" Bush is finally stepping down the United States is all about HOPE and CHANGE. Barack Obama has inherited a ruin of a country that in the Clinton era was absolutely booming, and now with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, still a mess in Louisiana to be cleaned up, the failing economy and stimulus packages, a struggling health care crisis, a destroyed mortgage situation...and the list goes on and on.

Zoos might not have the surplus cash to open huge new exhibits, but I strongly feel that the major powerhouses in the industry will survive just fine. I posted many links last week of zoos with record-setting attendances, as the populace might not be able to afford a trip to Hawaii or Disneyland but families can still go on mini-road trips or visit local tourist attractions. Perhaps this is a time for people to get in touch with establishments that can be found right on their front door instead of venturing off on expensive holidays to more exotic destinations.
 
Zoos have done far better for their taxpayer subsidies than major baseball and football teams - with their new and heavily subsidized stadiums - have done for the general public. The attendance records and Dr. Steve Kellert's on-going research show that. Taxpayers are using zoos today, as they are. The Bronx Zoo, which has been the most entrenched in what @ANyhuis terms "idealism" has also been heavily visited by taxpayers.

If zoos must chose to move from "idealism" as in conservation and education towards entertainment such that they are theme parks with the occasional descriptive sign, then it begs the question Why have a zoo? Why have these captive animals?

Whether or not captive animals in zoos were really serving to stimulate conservation in the wild is certainly debatable. But the further down the entertainment road zoos go, the more one can make the case that they are abusive to animals. If you're going to keep a tiger in a few thousand square feet you damn well better have a moral defense for it.

I'm not suggesting that this is what @ANyhuis is saying, but it is the likely outcome of that argument. Zoos are under attack already. They better keep their moral high ground intact while they bring in visitors.
 
The success of all the Seaworlds, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens in Tampa (although Busch is currently for sale) definitely worry zoo fans who feel that conservation messages are being bypassed in favour of rollercoasters, kiddie rides and orcas performing tricks for the public. With those establishments it is a tough call whether or not to encourage them to continue entertaining visitors, as the conservation message at the Seaworlds is still there but it becomes blurred with all the rides and dancing dolphins.
 
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