Activists and officials have reported that thousands of animals at zoos in Indonesia are facing starvation as the parks have been closed down for business amid coronavirus lockdown.

According to the reports, dozens of the country’s zoos that are home to some 70,000 animals are facing the effects of the pandemic in the form of food shortage.

Speaking of the matter, Sulhan Syafi’I of the Indonesian Zoo Association explained that “most zoos relied on ticket sales so when they closed everything collapsed.”

“If a few more months pass and we don’t get any aid from the government or other international organizations, then with a heavy heart we’ll have to feed herbivores to the carnivores,” the spokesperson said.

In a bid to save as many animals as possible, some zookeepers have started collecting vegetation to feed the herbivores while feeding carnivores with poultry instead of red meat.

While some staff are also contributing to feeding the animals from their own pockets, keeping thousands of creatures from getting hungry is a job that requires a big wallet.

“We can put down wildlife that is not endemic. But for wildlife endemic to Indonesia, like Sumatran tigers, we must do whatever it takes to save them. It’s sad, but at this point we need to start thinking about priorities,” Syafi’I expressed.

Since many zoos in the country rely on tickets and donations to remain open, some sixty animal parks are believed to be in serious trouble due to the pandemic.

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