British zoo faces closure after hundreds of animals have died

[Catherine]

This is more than a bad management problem. The zoo is poorly built and it lacks staff trained well enough to care for the animals they have.

These animals have very special needs. Their enclosures need to be safe, but they also need to meet the animals needs. Each species has its own nutritional needs. Big well run zoos work hard to refine the diets of their animals. They have trained nutritionists and biologists and they access to a lot of different foods.

This zoo lacked the money to do what is right. I think the fines must have made things worse. Money being paid  for fines was not being spent on the animals.

Big zoos have vets on staff. This zoo couldn't afford a vet and probably didn't have access to a vet who would know what to do anyhow.

It is sad that they let so many animals die. They did not even know how to stop over breeding. They lacked the space to separate males and females and they didn't have the right conditions for females to raise their young. The whole thing is very sad. I just hope they can find places that will take the animals and let them live comfortably.