The Woodland Park Zoo sent out this poignant missive yesterday.
“Dear Friend, from all of us at Woodland Park Zoo, we hope this letter finds you safe and sound as each of us comes to terms with this novel virus that grips our region and our world. The scariest part for many of us is the unknown. When will we know that it is safe to resume our normal lives? In this unprecedented time we are all facing, our community is in need.
With our gates closed, the loss of earned revenue is devastating. We find ourselves in need of reaching out to all who understand that the zoo is a deeply important part of our community. Through the month of March, we have lost $1.9 million and stand to lose an additional $2.2 million if we remain closed in April.
Your support is more important than ever to keep our vital work going. Will you consider making a gift of any amount today to our relief fund?
Your zoo manages the largest number of live animals in Washington state, with nearly 1,000 animals, and has served as a community anchor and beacon of hope for more than a century. All of our animals, large and small, are waiting out the pandemic like the rest of us, and being cared for by our amazingly dedicated animal care and veterinary teams.
We have an urgent need for resources to continue providing dedicated care to all of our animals, each and every day, while minimizing risk to both our people and animals.
Your gift will help us make this enormous pivot that will enable us to continue providing the best possible care for all of our animals and to connect with our community until we can open our gates once more.
If you are able, please make a relief fund gift today to support our animal care and veterinary teams. Gifts of any size make a difference and every dollar counts.