German Zoos Might Have to Feed Their Animals to Each Other As a Last Resort to Keep Zoo Alive

Zoos in Germany might have no choice but to feed its animals to other animals in order for the zoo to survive.

According to BBC, zoos that would’ve been crowded during the Easter holidays are now losing profits and are asking for donations as the Covid-19 lockdown takes a toll.

A zoo director in Germany has even admitted that that might have to resort to feeding their animals to others.

“We’ve listed the animals we’ll have to slaughter first,” Neumünster Zoo’s Verena Kaspari told Die Welt, a German news site.

Kaspari added that killing some animals so that others could live would be their last and final resort, but even then, it would not solve the financial problem.

She pointed out that seals and penguins need big quantities of fresh fish daily.

“If it comes to it, I’ll have to euthanise animals, rather than let them starve,” she said.

Kaspari’s zoo belongs to an association that is not covered by the state emergency fund for small businesses. She estimates that the zoo will lose about €175,000 (RM832,000) this coming spring.

Besides direct appeals for public donations, Germany’s zoos are jointly requesting government aid worth €100m (about RM475m).

Unlike many other businesses, zoos cannot go into hibernation and run down costs as animals still have to be fed daily and looked after, while a tropical enclosure would need to be heated above 20 degrees celsius, Germany’s national zoo association argues.

The poor animals! Hopefully zoos in Germany and those all around the world will get the funding they need to feed the animals in their enclosures. 

Also read: Zoo Negara Is Desperate For Funds For Their Animals, But Here’s How You Can Help Them