Zoo short of visitors

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."