Edinburgh Zoo monkeys under threat as Covid losses bite

David Field said the zoo had made all the savings it could David Field chief executive of Edinburgh Zoo COVID 19, CORONA VIRUS - Edinburgh Zoo re-opens its doors today after being closed for over 3 months due to COVID 19

David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) revealed that despite clawing back some money through increased memberships since the zoo reopened in the summer, the charity has lost £2.5m this year.

In June the charity warned it faced financial disaster if outdoor attractions couldn’t reopen and confirmed it had taken out a £5m business loan.

Following its summer nights programme and appeal for public donations the wildlife conservation charity has increased membership to 30,000.

But Mr Field said unless finances improve he faces tough choices early next year, including getting rid of some of the animals as well as delaying education projects and maintenance work.

A scheme to introduce Scottish wildcats at the Highland wildlife park could also be suspended.

Mr Field said: “We have tightened our belts and made savings in every possible way, without having an impact on visitor experience or animal welfare. With increased visitors and membership things are looking better. But the frightening thing is what we are still facing next year. We have a large level of debt to service, with repayments starting from June.

“We haven’t been able to access any money from the Government emergency fund.

The £5m business load helped but we are not out of the woods. We are going to need help to get through this next year, it’s going to be tough.”

“We will need to rationalise. We’re looking at birds and primates, it could be that one or two need to go.

"The old monkey house has been closed throughout the covid-19 period and needs a lot of repair. One or two primate species might have to go temporarily but we would look to bring them back.”

The wild cat reintroduction programme which started at the Highland Wildlife park in June would need a further £500,000 to complete. Mr Field said: “We always said come hell or high water we’d get that started and we did. But there are gaps in funding and that could mean it will have to be deferred or worst-case scenario, it would be stopped.”

Mr Field said he hopes to be able to bring in giraffes and sloths to the Capital’s zoo next year but unless finances improve that’s in doubt. He said: “We can’t bring them in unless we know we can look after them to the best of our ability”

Plans for news school programmes also look set to be put on hold. Mr Field said: “School trips are not allowed in so we have been doing Skype classroom sessions. We had plans to do new school digital programmes but that would need investment so will have to wait.”

The zoo tonight launches its Christmas lights event in a bid to raise much needed funds. The event which runs Sunday January 3, will see visitors taken on a journey around the attraction at night with projections and twinkling fairy lights. It has been designed for limited visitor numbers with a wide range of safety measures in place to comply with Covid regulations.