China's zoo animals are experiencing a meager diet at the moment
due to the sharp decline in the number of zoo visitors since the
outbreak of SARS.
Statistics show that the number of zoo visitors in Beijing and
Tianjin in north China fell 97 percent for the period from April to
mid-May.
The public remains reticent about visiting zoos due to SARS-related
fears.
Zoo managers in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province are
complaining that their zoos have not seen a substantial influx of
visitors despite the fact that the epidemic has been effectively
brought under control.
According to the booking office of the Harbin Zoo, ticket sales
during the May Day holidays fell 90 percent compared with the same
period last year, and sales on Children's Day fell some 50
percent.
Liu Jingchen, an official with the zoo, said that over 2,000
animals in his zoo have very meager diets. Prior to the SARS
outbreak, a tiger or a lion in the zoo enjoyed 14 kilograms of beef
per day, but at present, Liu said, the giant felines are simply
given enough to fill their stomachs.
The zoo in Daqing, the "Oil City" of Heilongjiang, was forced to
sell six monkeys to buy food for the tigers in the zoo. It also
laid off 23 of its 32 workers.
With respect to cleanliness, Wu Zhaozheng, the manager of the
Beijing Zoo, said that regular disinfection is carried out at the
zoo each spring and autumn to prevent animal epidemics, and
disinfection work has been intensified this year due to the
outbreak of SARS.
Wu
assured that it is safe to visit the zoo.
According to a survey by the national association of zoos, there
have been no reports of animal SARS cases in the zoos in the 23
provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions struck by
SARS.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2003)