Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Russian zoo puts on cartoons to cheer up chimps during lonely lockdown

Russian zoo puts on cartoons to cheer up chimps during lonely lockdown

Zoos around the world have been forced to close because of the coronavirus lockdown. Owners are finding it difficult to make ends meet, with some struggling to feed their animals. As carers in Russia have discovered, some animals are suffering from a lonely lockdown.

The Siberian Times website reported that when the Krasnoyarsk Royev Ruchey Nature Park went into quarantine on 25 March, the chimpanzee twins Tikhon and Anfisa showed signs of depression within days.

The park said the chimpanzees crave company nearly as much as food.

Their carers - who have agreed to stay locked inside the park for the duration of the quarantine - set up television screens outside the cages and screened cartoon movies such as The Lion King. The cartoons appear to have cheered the chimps up.

The staff said provisions had been set aside to feed the 5,000 or so species of animal kept at the park during the lockdown.


 But times are tough for the animals in zoos around the world because of the Covid-19 crisis, and France is no exception.


Social media fundraising drives

Jean-Marc Charpentier, a veterinarian and director of a zoo park near Paris says he is operating at a loss.

"We continue to feed, spend, maintain, and take care of the animals, but all this without any income," he explained, bemoaning the fact that French businesses will need to adhere to the extension of the confinement period until at least 11 May.

"The Paris zoo in Vincennes donated tons of meat which was originally meant to be sold to restaurants, which can't buy it because they are closed," he says.

His park, like others, are turning to fundraising drives via Facebook to compensate for the loss of revenue.

Although the government has promised an aid package for French businesses, Charpentier says the money will take some time to come through. In the meantime he needs to find another solution.

Marshall Plan needed to help zoos

Jean-Marc Charpentier hopes confinement will end soon so that he and his staff can capitalise on the spring and summer months, which are their busiest periods.

Animal parks and zoos across France have had to reorganise in order to keep a minimum number of staff for maintenance and animal care.

The association of French zoos has already put in a request for a 'Marshall plan,' referring to the emergency financial initiatives put in place to relaunch the European economy after the second world war.

They have asked the minister in charge of public finances, Gérald Darmanin, to remove the limit on corporate and individual donations to zoos.

Danger of virus transmission?

Zoo-keepers are also concerned about the danger of animals contracting or transmitting Covid-19.

A tiger at New York's Bronx Zoo tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. The institution said the tiger is believed to have contracted the virus from a caretaker who was asymptomatic at the time.

On a brighter note, the life of wild animals on the fringes of urban areas around the world appears to have improved.

Residents in many suburbs have reported an increase in the number of sightings of wild animals, probably encouraged by the absence of pedestrians, traffic and noise pollution.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×