By Clinton Urling
Recently, I took my sons to the Guyana Zoological Park, hoping to show them many of the animals they see in books and on television. I also looked forward to the visit, as I had not been there in many years and a recent “60 Minutes” segment focusing on wildlife in the Brazilian Amazon region sparked my curiosity.
For an adult, the fee to enter the zoo was around $100 – not sure about the exact amount – and was lower for my sons. All of us eagerly anticipated the visit. However, as we started touring the zoo grounds, I noticed many small, empty and shabbily kept cages; in some cases, a bad stench emanated from the areas we walked. By the end of the tour, my disappointed sons kept asking about all the animals that I promised they would be seeing. Unfortunately, I had no satisfactory explanation.
As we left, I kept wondering about what happened to the approximately 30 species of mammals, 40 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles and 20 species of fish that were mentioned on the zoo’s website.
After being left so upset and deeply disappointed, I began to imagine the opportunities the zoo could offer with proper management and a staff committed to the educational potential of a well-curated zoo park and museum. The zoo could be transformed into a world-class facility focused on improved animal habitats, which seek to replicate as closely as possible their natural environs. Furthermore, there would be exciting and innovative experiences for visitors that bring them virtually face to face with Guyana’s wildlife. In so many cities and towns throughout the world, the zoo is valued as a community gem in its tourist offerings. Furthermore, it can be an affordable and accessible family attraction for residents who live in Guyana.
There also are additional avenues for enhancing the zoo’s profile for revenue. For instance, the zoo can offer an educational gift and toy store, a fully refurbished and redesigned play area for children that can also be used to host birthday parties and family gatherings, and space for exhibitions and zoological displays.
The world’s most successful and respected zoos have augmented their roles as tourist and entertainment destinations with an educational and advocacy mission focused on conservation, environmental sustainability, and science literacy. Essential is a state-of-the-art educational facility with programmes dedicated to concerns of conservation, biodiversity, and the relationship between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. Moreover, awareness of the elements and components of the Low Carbon Development Strategy and the work of Conservation Inter-national could be incorporated into such a scheme. Perhaps, some of the revenues the government expects to receive from the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund can be earmarked for such a collaborative venture.
A broadly based community outreach also should include well-conceived initiatives for attracting corporate support and philanthropy. For instance, private sector companies can be encouraged to sponsor animal exhibits and habitats, further enhancing the goodwill and social responsibility values that enhance the equity of their own branding. Private sector expertise also could prove useful in putting a fundraising campaign into full gear. A popular event at many zoos involves asking children and community members to select names for baby animals or new zoo exhibits. Likewise, the zoo can establish a membership programme for the general public, which can meet the needs of individuals and families alike.
Coincident with any improvements in outreach and community service, a financial analysis will have to be conducted to determine at what rate levels, after accounting for other revenue sources including entry or gate charges, would the project be on its way toward becoming a self-supporting operation without any additional governmental financial subsidy. Furthermore, with the advantage of low-cost and widely accessible market research options involving Internet and other forms of social media, zoo officials would be well equipped to assess visitor satisfaction in ongoing efforts to improve continuously the zoo’s array of programming and outreach.
My recent visit to the zoo confirms that present operations clearly are not working. As Guyana becomes more widely attuned to developing a commercial culture and a sustainable business model in all industry and community sectors, those connected to the Guyana Zoo must recognize its value in the nation’s public life and its reiterated mission to “to develop, operate and promote a wildlife centre for the combined purposes of conservation, education, recreation and scientific study for the benefit of all Guyanese.”
