German zoo may have to take desperate measures due to pandemic

A German zoo has said it may have to feed some of its animals to others as it runs low on funds amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Neumünster Zoo’s Verena Kaspari told Die Welt: If it comes to it, I’ll have to euthanise animals, rather than let them starve. At the worst, we would have to feed some of the animals to others”.

Kaspari said it would be an “unpleasant” last resort, but the zoo is not covered by the state emergency fund for small businesses and the zoo’s loss of income this spring is estimated at about €175,000 (£152,400).

Germany’s zoos are jointly requesting government aid worth €100m, DPA reports, as well as seeking donations from the public.

The national zoo association in Germany argued that zoos, unlike many other businesses, cannot go into hibernation to reduce costs as animals still have to be fed daily, while tropical enclosures need to be heated above 20C.

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