Oakland Zoo losing $2 million a month, at risk of closing for good, officials say

[Auggie]

The Oakland Zoo, which has been shuttered since mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak, is losing $2 million a month and may have to shut down permanently unless it is allowed to reopen as an “outdoor museum,” officials said Wednesday.

Nik Dehejia, executive vice president of the zoo, told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors that the 100-acre zoo in the Oakland hills is experiencing “financial distress” due to a lack of visitors.

“We are at risk of closure,” he said, although a date for a permanent shutdown was not immediately known.

Zoo president Joel Parrott said emergency federal funds have run out and the zoo is now surviving on a $3 million reserve fund, which will be gone in months. The zoo is asking to be classified as an outdoor museum similar to regional parks or botanical gardens, which have been allowed to reopen, rather than as a restaurant or indoor business, which have not.

LINK (probably paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Coronavirus-Oakland-Zoo-losing-2-million-a-15380577.php

[Sherman A1]

1. Happily our Zoo is supported by tax dollars

And is free to visit.

[onecaliberal]

2. 💔😢

[Dem2theMax]

3. One heartbreaking story after another.

If only we had had a real president in charge.

[dem4decades]

4. Can't they open the outside areas? Require masks and social distancing?

[Clash City Rocker]

5. That's a shame. It's an excellent zoo.

We were members when we lived in the Bay Area. They had expanded a few years ago, which in retrospect was probably badly timed.

[Rollo]

6. Doesn't seem to be a paywall...

It would be a shame to lose this zoo.

[CaptainTruth]

7. I hope they survive. Years ago I helped build structures for the panda habitat.

The zoo was getting 2 pandas on loan from China & a group of us volunteered (arranged by a local college) to build wood "play structures" for the pandas, like elevated platforms & other things to climb on. Of course everything was built on-site in the habitat, using existing trees for supports.

I really do hope they can open & stay in business, it's a great zoo with very natural enclosures/habitats in the hills.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

8. I LOVE THIS ZOO! Well.. other than...

It's being on a hill and there is no actual 'circular' path .. and you have to back track a lot... AND THEY were going to open the new area soon (which of course was FURTHER up the hill.. ha)

Last time I was there the chimps got into a big scuffle and they had to send people away. We came up a short time later.. and one chimp was still throwing one of the toys around... fussing to high heavens.

Oh and the 'carnival rides' are kind of fun!