Greece鈥檚 only zoo on verge of closing due to virus lockdown
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It鈥檚 feeding time at Greece鈥檚 only zoo, and a capuchin monkey grabs as many mandarins as it can 鈥 even tucking one into his long, supple tail. It might be wise to stock up.
After being closed for almost three months due to COVID-19, the zoo on the fringes of Athens could be on the road to extinction: With no paying visitors or 鈥 unlike other European zoos 鈥 enough government aid to cover its very particular needs, the Attica Zoological Park faces huge bills to keep 2,000 animals well-fed and healthy.
鈥淎s things are we still can go on for at least one month,鈥 zoo founder and CEO Jean Jacques Lesueur said. 鈥淎fter that, we don鈥檛 know.鈥
Unlike some businesses forced to temporarily close due to virus-control restrictions, the zoo continues to have sizeable operating expenses.
Between food, salaries, utilities, medical care and other expenses, the cost of caring for the animals currently exceeds 200,000 euros (US$241,400) per month.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the difference between us and other companies: When they close they close. We close, but we don鈥檛 close,鈥 Lesueur said.
Founded in 2000 and located in the town of Spata, the zoo occupies 20 hectares and is home to 290 species, from elephants to prairie dogs. It鈥檚 involved in education, conservation and breeding, and belongs to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which has about 400 members.
Having to close again on November 7 after Greece鈥檚 two-month spring lockdown came at a bad time for Attica Zoological Park.
The zoo normally operates year-round but does a lot of its business during cooler weather 鈥渂ecause in Greece people go to the beaches, to the islands, they don鈥檛 visit zoos鈥 in the summer, the French-born Lesueur said.
Visitors account for more than 99 percent of its revenue, from tickets, food and beverages and gift shop sales. So every month鈥檚 revenue counts, and the loss of December, usually busy due to the Christmas holidays, was particularly heavy.
So far, suppliers have shown understanding and are accepting credit. Two-thirds of the zoo鈥檚 staff is on state-supported furlough, and an expected installment of state aid took care of last month鈥檚 pay for the rest, the CEO said.
The zoo also has sold 5,000 advance tickets at reduced prices for when the lockdown ends, and Lesueur says that helped pay December鈥檚 salaries.
Lockdown also affects the zoo鈥檚 residents, accustomed as they are to crowds of humans. For nearly three months, they鈥檝e only been seeing their keepers.
So the tables were turned when a journalist visited in January: Several curious animals and birds came close for a good look.
鈥淎nimals miss visitors, because it鈥檚 part of their life,鈥 Lesueur said.
鈥淎ll the animals you see (here) are born in other zoos. So they are used to people.鈥
Greece has registered about 150,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections so far and more than 5,800 deaths in the pandemic. After peaking above 3,300 in November, the number of new daily cases is holding in the triple digits.
Nevertheless, the greater Athens region remains the country鈥檚 worst-hit area and authorities said they will reimpose tougher lockdown restrictions there after a January decline in infection rates was reversed.
Overall, Lesueur says he鈥檚 optimistic that the zoo will get clearance to reopen in coming weeks.
鈥淓xcept if the COVID (situation) gets worse. That鈥檚 another story,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ow if we are closed for another two months or three months, I really don鈥檛 know what is going to happen.鈥
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