London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 09, 2025

Zoos struggling in pandemic as group says government hasn't done enough

Zoos struggling in pandemic as group says government hasn't done enough

Animals are at risk of dying unless the government changes its Covid-19 funding for zoos, a charity has warned.

The Zoo Animals Fund was created by the government to help zoos facing financial trouble in the pandemic with £100m available.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums (Biaza) says the fund has "failed to provide" adequate support.

It claims many zoos are unable to access the money.

Out of 300 licensed zoos, 34 have been awarded funding, with a further 23 applications being processed.

Biaza says this makes up £6m of the £100m available and major wildlife attractions such as London Zoo remain ineligible for help.

Zoos are currently shut in this lockdown.

A tiger at Chessington zoo
A spokeswoman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told Radio 1 Newsbeat the government understood challenges faced by zoos and aquariums.

"That is why we have set up the Zoo Animals Fund on top of the other support available - to ensure that those facing severe financial difficulties can continue to provide the best possible care for their animals."

Zoos need to be 12 weeks from bankruptcy to qualify and by that time any responsible animal park would already be trying to find new homes for its residents, Biaza says.

What do zoos look like right now?


The pandemic has been a difficult time for zoos, which have lost a lot of income due to fewer visitors.

Jamie Mainds is a senior zookeeper at Chessington in Surrey and says it's "business as usual" when it comes to the care of animals.

"The main difference is we've got no guests to educate, inspire and engage with these amazing animals we have," the 27-year-old tells Newsbeat.

He looks after birds, sea lions and mammals such as meerkats and bearcats and says animals "learn to adapt" to the environment they're in.

Jamie (right) with Harley the Californian sea lion

Jamie says the gorillas have picked up on the change and have been interacting more with one another compared to when the public is able to come in.

He adds that the youngest gorilla has been able to spend more time playing with her aunties, uncles and cousins.

You might have seen the videos of penguins in the US roaming around zoos and aquariums, and Jamie says there is a greater "freedom of time" for animals and zookeepers now.

And Jackson the bearcat "absolutely loves" the extra time.

"He's only recently seen snow for the first time and it's been absolutely fantastic. We took him down to the gorilla view and it's fantastic for them too.

Jackson the bearcat meeting two sea lions

"It's enriching to go to different locations, environments and pick up different smells and sounds."

Jamie says zoos such as Chessington are vital for the animals.

"We're part of breeding programmes so the animals we have here are playing that part to having a backup generation in case species in the wild do go extinct."

He adds: "We're more than just an attraction for people to come and look at animals. We're trying to help species survive."


From the end of February, zoos will no longer be able to apply for the Zoo Animals Fund.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, Biaza say it's vital the remaining £94m "is ring-fenced for the creation of an accessible Zoo Recovery Fund".

Nicky Needham, acting director of the charity said: "We must see the ineffectual Zoo Animals Fund replaced so that zoos, aquariums and safari parks large and small get the support they need to survive, thrive and fight extinction."

The Defra spokeswoman added the existing scheme has "offered a vital lifeline to ensure the continued welfare of zoo animals.

"We continue to process applications to support the sector during this challenging period. We would strongly encourage any zoos in need to apply to the fund."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Brand-New $1 Million Yacht Sinks Just Fifteen Minutes After Maiden Launch in Turkey
Here’s What the FBI Seized in John Bolton Raid — and the Legal Risks He Faces
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
×