Funding Goes Belly-Up at Zoo, Aquarium, Garden

Yesterday there was word of Bronx Zoo funding going the way of the dodo, as Gov. Paterson’s budget proposal promises to eliminate it in two years. The Daily News reports that the cutbacks would also effect "museums across the state — including the New York Botanical Garden and Wave Hill in the Bronx." The Brooklyn Eagle has more today on cutbacks that will hit the borough, where the only good news is that the Prospect Park Zoo won't be effected. The paper reports that with the proposal the BBG's in-house exhibits and educational programs would suffer, and the institute's president said, "We can understand a reasonable reduction, but a 55 percent cut, followed by the elimination of the fund itself, is too much." All in all 76 zoos, botanic gardens and aquariums are on the funding chopping block—and the main problem here is, of course, that “animals don’t stop eating and don’t stop needing care."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on January 8, 2009 4:38 PM

Comments [rss]

ANGRYGOD11

“animals don’t stop eating and don’t stop needing care."

Yes they do, if you prepare them with a nice wine reduction sauce with just a touch of garlic.

nyrangers

Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~Albert Einstein

NannyState

Just close the zoos and release the animals on parole.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

@nannystate, you really are an idiot. How old are you? 5 years old?

NannyState

Four and a half and just yesterday I killed a cat with some electrical cord. Thanx for asking!

Jen S

Oh good, get rid of the only "nature" city kids have access to. Then they'll definitely grow up curious and compassionate!

fugothamist

i appreciate paterson's traight forward apporach

dont always agree with his decisions/ideas, but he is not beating around the bush

love the fact that he is going after the bloated pensions & benefits that the unions enjoy...nothing is off limits and i admire that

Mags

I have to stand up for Prospect Park Zoo. Small, yes, but totally worthwhile. I have taken my kids dozens of times (it is really close by for us). Baboons, kangaroos, barnyard animal, sea lions - that's pretty good for most kids.

And small can be a good thing when you are just looking for a quick outing, or when you are walking around with a toddler with a short attention span and even shorter legs.

newsyspice

"....reports that the cutbacks would also effect "museums across the state — including the New York Botanical Garden and Wave Hill in the Bronx."

Typo alert! A cutback would AFFECT something. If they set off fireworks to announce a cutback, that would be an EFFECT.

Spirit of 76

Paterson seems less likeable by the day. What a difference from when he stepped up after Spitzer. He was a breath of fresh air then, but now he's become a foul stench. I guess people will just have to get used to the elimination of free admission days at the zoos and museums and higher admissions fees to boot.

longacre

How exactly should we close the $12 billion gap if not through cuts like this?

Spirit of 76

So what happens if the zoos can't stay afloat? New Yorkers lose one of their few connections with nature and what are you going to do with all those animals and facilities? In this economic climate, I doubt you're going to find many developers interested in tearing down a zoo and building new condos. There's plenty of fat to trim in the state. Cultural institutions are not something that should be killed altogether.

ANGRYGOD11

Cutting the fat out of the budget is a complete cop-out. In struggling towns and cities upstate keeping zoos in NYC funded sounds like fat to them.

Nyctini11

Is it really fair to call the Prospect park thing a zoo?? Like the aquarium out in COney Island, it's pathetic. Maybe because i grew up in philly and know what a real zoo is, couldn't they put all these animals into one zoo like the Bronx zoo and maybe make it a little more worthwhile?