Chilean zoo is looking for ‘animal godparents’ amid continued recession

Amid the pandemic induced recession, a zoo in Chile has said that it was looking for ‘Godparents’ who could adopt their animals. According to a Chilean news agency, Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, has urged people to sponsor the beds and boarding of animals like penguins, lemur and rhinos. The Buin Zoo is ordinarily one of the city’s top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat after getting hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the drop in the number of visitors started much before the pandemic. In October 2019, the country underwent massive demonstrations with protestors constantly engaged in looting and destroying the zoo’s property. Later in March, the entire zoo was shut due to corona, pushing the zoo further in recessions.

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Struggling to meet expenses

Speaking to Chilean media reporters, Ignacio Idalsoage, the zoo’s director said that “the home to 2,500 animals from around the world with massive appetites” was struggling to find its $400,000 - $500,000 monthly operating costs. Elaborating further on the plight, he said that animals in the zoo consumed “400 kilos of apples and 1,000 kilos of fish each week, 2,500 kilos of meat each month, and 7,200 bales of oats and alfalfa” annually. Talking about Godparents, he added that all those interested could pay $2,500 ($3) to $90,000 ($118) to receive photos, certificates, educational files and cuddly toys of 15 “emblematic” animals, as well as entry passes for when it reopens on September 29.

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In related news, a 12-year-old boy adopted a Royal Bengal Tiger in Nehru Zoological Park, Telangana. Chinmay Siddharth Shah, who is a student of class 7th, visited the zoological park where he handed over a cheque of Rs 25,000 to zoo officials to formally adopt the beast named 'Sankalp’. As per ANI, Sankalp has been adopted for a period of three months. 

Image credits: Pixabey