Why can't zoos open?

[Nquartz]

Zoos have been told they need to stay shut indefinitely yet we can go to Ikea or to buy a car

They are outside, indoor areas can be closed, food outlets takeaway only, same as parks & beaches so why can't they open?

I assume it is a financial decision by the government but I don't understand. Who knows what will happen to the animals if they can't get revenue.

I'm sure zoos will be working frantically on cost analysis and appreciate there is a balance to be found between face value ticket holders and those with an annual pass who will also wish to visit.

I'm a long standing pass holder at a large zoo and this also enables me to visit others in the scheme for free. It's amazing value once you've been just a few times. Obviously you tend to spend on sundries like drinks and ice cream once you're in but that's peanuts compared to the cost of a day ticket.

I'd love to go back to 'my' zoo as soon as possible but quite honestly, if it meant that it could ultimately survive long term, I'd happily accept my pass being suspended until whenever things go back to something much more 'normal', while priority was given to day tickets in order to get much needed cash in straight away. But..... as pps have said, the financial logistics of ticketing is down to the zoo. And irrelevant if they're not allowed to open.

@crispycracker I don't place zoos in the same category as McDonalds.

Lots of zoos do good work. McDonalds is just crap food full of salt that people give to their children as a supposed treat. The idiots are the ones queueing hours to get the crap

"You don't have to pay for the entry as the tickets are free. Any cost in these trips is normally for the transport. However the school isn't forcing you to pay anything, they ask for a voluntary contribution. If you couldn't afford to pay you would discuss it with the school and I'm sure they would make allowances so your xhild didn't miss out."
You do have to pay. It's quite clear, entry is a tenner, transport a fiver. And yes, school pay for some to go free, but not all. So even if you pay for membership, you then have to pay again for them to go with school.

I was saying this same thing yesterday, I don't understand why they are still shut, Colchester Zoo have sent out various emails saying that they will have to close permanently if they do not get people through the doors soon. We have a farm near us who are struggling massively and I see no reason why they aren't allowed to open either.

"My point was it's comparable to other days out, so affordability is not a unique problem of zoos. Cheaper than theme parks. Maybe the same as cinema and fast food meal. As I alluded to you can often get cheap deals (7 people could go to knowsley safari for £20 this winter which is extraordinarily cheap). The other model is membership. If you go every month this would make a family visit maybe under £15 which is similar to some soft play centres and definitely cheaper than the movies (and a longer more fulfilling experience). Like anything, being a little bit savvy works wonders."

Just checked, family membership is 245 pounds!!! That's more than I pay for car insurance and just over 20 pound a month. That's just ridiculous. When the kids were under 3, it was slightly cheaper, think 80 pound a year, but as soon as the got over 3, the cost spiralled. Just wasnt worth going.

@lynsey91

"Lots of zoos do good work"

Here we go.. that old chestnut
People tell themselves this bollocks because it means they can keep going to see caged, insane animals as entertainment

@crispycracker I don't agree with zoos existing. But if it comes to a choice between allowing the zoos to open or killing animals on a massive scale, I know which I'll take.

I'm disgusted by this decision! They need the income to keep the animals fed and well.
I hope they reverse this.
I don't care if indoor bits/play areas have to stay closed but want to see the outside animals

The nearest 2 zoo/safari parks to us are enormous and have drive through options. Could they not be like the NT with pre bookable slots, even time limits? Normally we dont see everything in 1 trip to the zoo as it's so vast but if cafes/toilets/shops/play areas are closed then maybe they could do 2-3 time hour slots (for a reduced entry fee) so less need to stop for food/toilet and more people could visit...?

@BamboozledandBefuddled

@crispycracker I don't agree with zoos existing. But if it comes to a choice between allowing the zoos to open or killing animals on a massive scale, I know which I'll take.

But these places are breeding captive animals! How is this nonsense going to end?

@TabbyMumz

"My point was it's comparable to other days out, so affordability is not a unique problem of zoos. Cheaper than theme parks. Maybe the same as cinema and fast food meal"

How fucking depressing.
To you, going to gawp and point at caged, distressed animals is just mindless entertainment like a theme park or fast food... says it all

Morons

Crispycracker....I didnt say that? Someone else did.

I hope they raise enough to feed all the animals but I would definitely prefer most zoos to close. I visited Chester zoo in March and I will never visit a zoo again. There was a group of children shouting at and upsetting the rhinos and the parents and staff did nothing.

Crispy If things were 'normal' and zoos were running out of money, asking for huge amounts of public donations, government funding, etc I would be arguing against it. I'd be saying the zoos should have funding needs met to maintain the essential needs of the animals in their care but that as those animals died, that zoos would have to die off with them. The money that would undoubtedly be raised could be used then for conservation projects/habitat preservation that could be carried out in the wild.

But things aren't normal. Whatever my views normally are I can't sit back and condone the likely outcome of this. Some people may say it's better for all of these animals to be killed now rather than living their lives in captivity. I can understand that point of view 100% but I can't agree with it.

@crispycracker

I certainly haven’t compared zoos to places like McDonald’s, I have said that the government closing them but opening shops makes no sense, which it doesn’t.

Quite frankly your views on animal rights and zoos existence is entirely irrelevant to whether they should be subject to government mandated closures because of Covid 19. Also my views being different to yours does not make me a moron or an idiot but you calling people names does make you exceedingly rude!

Safari parks, zoos etc should be allowed to reopen, provided they keep indoor areas closed, except for toilets - and increase cleaning of toilets

These would be some of the safest outings for kids and adults
and could add an educational element too

Botanical gardens should be reopened too

Calling people morons and idiots is t the way to persuade people to your way of thinking.

As others have said, this thread is about reopening zoos so the animals can be fed and cared for.

Personally I think the zoos do excellent work and are vital when habitats etc are being destroyed.

For those wanting to support zoos etc there is a petition on the Government Petitions site - not sure I can post here? petition.parliament.uk/petitions/308733

Regarding zoo's being harmful. That is obviously a legitimate debate but one with much more nuance than is likely to be understood by the provocateurs that have shown up so far. It isn't a debate for now though. And this is not a coherent way to improve animal welfare (it actually puts it's at risk).

I think the government are being a bit disingenuous about why they are relaxing lockdown - it’s not for our benefit, it’s to get people back to work and off furlough, which is bankrupting the economy.

So schools open, to allow parents to return to work. Shops open, to get furloughed retail workers back to work. Expect restaurants and pubs to open next. Zoos don’t make up a huge proportion of working adults, and plenty of zoo workers are not actually on furlough because the animals still need care. So the government has no interest in allowing them to reopen. Same with playgrounds, public toilets, gyms etc. If the individual companies fail, so what? (so what from a Treasury perspective - obviously from a human perspective it is terrible).

Schools partially opening doesnt allow a large contingent of people back to work though?
Much as one of MN favourite catchphrases is "school isnt childcare" .....its a convenient chunk of time (during a traditional working day) where you child is looked after. But having no holiday clubs, or before or afterschool clubs as well as children going 2 days a week or reduced hours each day, it isnt that conducive to getting people back to work.

Btw that's not to say I think schools should open every day for all children, it's not a criticism, more an observation that if they want people back to work, having one of their children going to school 2 days a week with no wraparound care (or the ability to ask family) is possibly not that much help for a lot of working families.

If anyone wants to join, there's a Facebook group called 'get our zoos open again'

Apparently there will be a debate on 12 June in Parliament about them reopening so please get emailing your MPs

I don’t understand why the huge area of Forestry Commission land is closed near me either

The nearest FC place to me is open but they have this strange notion that cars need to social distance in the car park. Why do you need a gap between cars? If someone is getting in or out of their car when you want to get in or out of your car you just wait until they've gone?

If they reduce capacity to allow for more room in the venue that's one thing but I don't think that's the reason the NT was giving, they wanted 2m between cars.

Puffinandkoala

If someone is getting in or out of their car when you want to get in or out of your car you just wait until they've gone?

You’d think, wouldn’t you? You obviously would, so would I. Unfortunately lots won’t. If the won’t do it in a supermarket they certainly won’t do it in the open.