Posted April 16, 2020 in News
Thank you!
It has now been around 4 weeks since Colchester Zoo closed its doors to the public but it feels like an eternity – this is all so surreal.
Although the hard work continues here at the zoo with providing the high standard of care to our animals, the zoo is just not the same without you the visitors and the staff who have been Furloughed – we miss you all and can’t quite explain what it is like without you here.
Before we continue to thank you all for your support for the zoo we would like to take this opportunity to share our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the frontline workers and the NHS who continue to do a fantastic job in such difficult and unprecedented circumstances – Thank you!
We would also like to share our condolences and thoughts with those who have lost loved ones. We encourage and ask everyone to please help save lives and protect the NHS by staying at home –
we’re all in this together, we each have a part to play to come through this crisis.
Here at Colchester Zoo we have been overwhelmed with support and we are extremely grateful for the act of kindness which we are receiving both via messages and generous donations. We are aware that there are many worthy organisations who deserve help and funding at this particular time so we are very grateful to everyone who has donated to Colchester Zoo.
All the donations we receive is being used wisely and strictly for animal needs like food, veterinary fees and staff cost. We are going to find it hard to survive the longer this continues, as many will, but with the invaluable and continued support we are receiving it is helping us to be positive and with your help we can get through this period of uncertainty together.
Every morning the Animal Care Team come in and are met by the animals who they all have a unique bond with. To them, they are their sense of normality, their daily routines continue as normal albeit the additional measures in place to ensure their health and safety. However, the atmosphere is far from normal with the absence of the sounds of children playing and conversations, the smells of freshly cooked food and treats, the sight of people having a fun day out together and busy pathways.
We are a family here at Colchester Zoo and although this experience has no doubt made us stronger together and we long for the day that we can all be reunited as one – that includes you!
When the day comes that we may open again – this will be a joyous day despite the changes that may have to be in place to keep everyone safe. Let’s look forward to this day together whilst staying safe.
