Why do we gotta pay to go to zoos?

Question

We shouldn't have to pay to see nature .

Do you understand where i'm coming from?

Answer 1

If you don't want to pay to see nature, go hiking. Zoos need income to pay for food and medical care for the animals that they put on display for people to see, not to mention upkeep on facilities, pay for the employees (many zoos have volunteers for most positions, but not all), insurance in case someone does something stupid a'la the latest tiger attack, and "Binky" the polar bear that is(?)/was(?) at the zoo in Anchorage, Alaska, or any number of other silly things that visitors do when they go to zoos (I worked at a little one... I know some of the stupid things that stupid people do when they visit zoos). Advertising costs money, electicity and water cost money, the list goes on and on... hey, they have to pay for the souvenirs they sell, too.

Yes, it would be nice if the world just gave zoos everything they needed to function for free, because then we could all get in free, but it doesn't work that way. Sorry.

Answer 2

I'm old enough to remember going to Bronx Park free. They did have a couple of "pay days" each week, when you had to pay a whole quarter to get in. That was enough money to keep the zoo going, when added to their other sources of income.

Actually, my best day at the zoo was a "pay day". The day was also miserable and rainy and I had the zoo almost all to myself. I stopped in to pay my respects to one of the curators. He made a few phone calls and I got to go behind the cages and get some great photos. The highlight was probably the tuatara.

Alas, costs have gone up and tuataras are rarely seen, now.