Chile zoo seeks 'animal godparents' to raise funds

The largest privately owned zoo in Chile is offering "God Parenting" packages to individuals interested in helping the zoo to help pay for the care of the 2,500 animals that live there. The "Bruin Zoo" is suffering deep financial distress due to having been closed to the public since March 2020 because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are the zoo that has been locked down the most due to this pandemic which takes us to a very delicate situation,"  said Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoo's Director. Among the animals available for the special "God Parenting" financial aid packages are the rhinos, a giraffe, lions, a puma and a crocodile. "Happily people are being motivated to "God Parent" some animals," volunteered Idalsoaga without letting on how much had been collected.

The 400 animal species that live in the zoo consume enormous quantities of food each week. Each month the carnivores at the zoo eat some 2,500 kilos of meat (just over 5,500 lbs),  and 1,00 kilos of fish (2,200 lbs.). The rhinos eat 1,100 bales of hay each year. The Chilean government partners with the zoo on various programs and brings injured wild animals to the rehabilitation and rescue center there.