Impact of COVID-19 on CALM Zoo

CALM Zoo experiencing financial difficulty due to COVID-19 closures.

MID MARCH AND WILL REMAINTHAT WAY FOR THE FORESEEABLEFUTURE.23ABC'S AUSTIN WESTFALL CAUGHTUP WITH THE ZOO'SMANAGER TO SEE HOW THEY ANDTHEIR ANIMALS ARE DOING.THERE'S BEEN A BIT OF WORRY ASOF LATE FOR ZOOS WITH BIGCATS.

A TIGER AT A ZOO IN NEWYORK TESTED POSITIVE FOR THECORONAVIRUS THIS WEEK.

THATMEANS CALM IS BEING EXTRACAUTIOUS WITH THEIR BIG CATS."THE PROTOCOLS HAVE ALL CHANGED.THE PROTOCOL OF WIPING DOWN, THEPROTOCOLOF WASHING, THE PROTOCOL OFEVERYTHING TO KEEP THOSE CATSSAFE."LANA FAIN, THE MANAGER AT CALM,ENSURING STEPS ARE BEINGTAKEN TO KEEP THEIR BOBCATS ANDMOUNTAIN LIONS SAFE --AFTER A TIGER AT THE BRONX ZOOIN NEW YORK TESTED POSITIVEFOR COVID-19, APPARENTLY GETTINGIT FROM ITSASYMPTOMATIC KEEPER.

MANY OTHERBIG CATS AT THE ZOOSHOWING SYMPTOMS TOO.

CALM HASFOUR BOBCATS ANDTHREE MOUNTAIN LIONS."THEY HAVE ONE MAIN KEEPER ANDSHE WORKS FIVE DAYS A WEEK ANDTHE OTHERKEEPER THAT IS THE COVER THATWORKS THE OTHER TWO DAYS A WEEK,THOSE ARETHE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT AREALLOWED BACK THERE."KEEPERS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLYPEOPLE STILL WORKINGREGULARLY AT THE ZOO'S CAMPUS,KEEPING THE ANIMALSHAPPY AND HEALTHY WHILE BUSINESSIS CLOSED.THERE'S NO RETURN DATE IN SIGHT,SO THE KEEPERS HAVEBEGUN POSTING FACEBOOK VIDEOS TOKEEP PEOPLE UP TO DATE ONTHEIR CRITTERS."WE'VE EVEN HAD REQUESTS FORPEOPLE'S FAVORITE ANIMALS TO BEFEATURED IN A VIDEO, WHICH WEWILL FOLLOW UP ON."SOME ANIMALS ACROSS THE WORLDARE ENJOYING THEBREAK FROM ZOO CROWDS -- TWOPANDAS IN HONG KONG MATING FORTHE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS AFTERTHEIR ZOO SHUTDOWN -- BUTFAIN SAYING HER ANIMALS SEEM SADNOT TO HAVE MORE PEOPLEAROUND."YOU KNOW IT'S THAT INTERACTIONTHAT THEY DO ENJOY, AND IT ISMISSED OUTHERE, IT IS SO ODD NOT TO HEARKIDS OUT HERE, IT IS SO ODD JUSTFOR IT TOBE US."FAIN SAYS, LIKE MANY BUSINESSES,THE PANDEMIC ISHURTING THEM FINANCIALLY.FAIN SAYS IF YOU BOUGHT AMEMBERSHIP FOR THE ZOO, IT WILLBE EXTENDED FOR THE AMOUNT OFTIME THAT THE CLOSURE LASTS.THEY DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THATWILL BE THOUGH.

THEY EXPECT THISOUTBREAK WILL HURT THEMFINANCIALLY.

YOUCAN DONATE TO THEM AT THEIRWEBSITE CALM ZOO.ORG.

INBAKERSFIELD AUSTIN WESTFALL23ABC CONNECTING YOU.