Zoo short of visitors

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Reports of bird flu in the country have been blamed for the declining number of visitors to Gembiraloka Zoo in Yogyakarta over the last two weeks.

"We have had to dip into our savings to cover the operational costs. If the number of visitors stays like it is, we will face difficult problems because our savings will only last for about two months," the zoo's assistant director, Paidi, said on Wednesday.

With ticket prices at Rp 6,000 per visitor, the zoo needs at least 500 visitors to cover its operational costs.

Over the last several weeks, the zoo has received only about 60 visitors on weekdays and 299 visitors last Sunday. The zoo used to get about 3,000 visitors a day on the weekend.

"Since Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta was closed following the bird flu outbreak, the number of visitors to Gembiraloka has continued to decline," he said.

He expressed hope visitor numbers would return to normal during the Idul Fitri holiday. "But if the number of visitors stays as it is now, we do not know what we will do."