Zoo may be forced to kill animals as money runs out during coronavirus

A zoo dubbed the worst in Britain is considering euthanising its animals because it is running out of money to feed the exotic breeds.

Tracy and Dean Tweedy, a married couple who lived their dream of buying Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in West Wales, fear they only have enough money for a week for food for more than 300 animals.

Mr and Ms Tweedy say their money is running out to care for their stock – and are considering "as a last resort, euthanising the animals that we care for".

Council chiefs have "lost confidence" in the ability of the zoo to operate safely following the deaths of two lynx and other animals in the past.

The zoo was ordered to close in January of this year because it did not have trained gunmen in case of an animal escape and it was allowed to reopen in February, but has now closed again due to the coronavirus outbreak.

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“It is with great sadness that following the latest government advice we declare this zoo to be closed for the foreseeable future as from today,” the zoo announced on their Facebook page in March.

“Being situated in a beautiful little holiday village on the West coast of Wales, we do not want to encourage the unnecessary movement of people around the country, which could spread the coronavirus and overwhelm our rural health service.”

Ms Tweedy, 49, said many staff are on leave, and the zoo's business relief grant of £25,000 (AU$46,598) has now nearly run out.

"We were already only scraping by financially after the long, quiet winter season," Ms Tweedy said.

"We need help now more than ever. Despite everything, we are as determined as ever to not give up."

She said it costs £3,000 (AU$5590) a week to run the zoo and a cull of the animals has been considered if they cannot be fed.

After the money runs out, the couple would "have to start looking at rehoming or, as a last resort, euthanising the animals that we care for".

In 2017, an Eurasian lynx named Lilleth escaped from the zoo and was found at a nearby caravan park, according to Wales Online.

Lilleth was shot dead and another lynx died due to what was explained as a “handling error”.

Just this year in March, two antelopes escaped from Borth Wild Animal Kingdom, just days it was revealed one in five of the zoo’s animals died in a single year, Wales Online reported.

Of the zoo’s 305 animals, 57 died, according to Ceredigion Council, however, Ms Tweedy said many of the animals were old and in poor health when she and her husband took over the zoo.

"That's why we got these animals in the first place. We wanted to help them,” she told Wales Online.

When the zoo announced it would be closing due to health advice, they said they would look to more creative ways to cover expenses.

Borth Wild Animal Kingdom is now taking donations through their website and they previously asked for people to drop off excess fruit and vegetables at their gate to feed the animals.

with Australscope

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