The charity that owns London Zoo last week announced that it had moved
out of the red for the first time in 17 years. Last year, the Zoological
Society of London faced a deficit of 拢2 million and threatened to
close London Zoo. It reversed that decision only after receiving a gift
of 拢1 million from the Emir of Kuwait.
The society also underwent a reorganisation designed to make it more
businesslike. Last week, the zoo announced that it had made a profit of
拢32 000 for the year ending in March. Peter Denton, the clerk of the
society, said that London Zoo had cut its costs by 拢1.5 million,
Whipsnade by 拢500 000 and the Institute of Zoology by 拢300
000. Denton said that the economies came mainly from cutting staff and selling
some animals.
‘For example, we’ve now got three Burmese elephants instead of four,
because we sold one to another zoo,’ said Denton. This would save the 拢100
000 a year it costs to keep an elephant. The zoo has also reduced by half
the number of owls it keeps.
