Is $38 too Much to pay to go to the zoo?
April 26th 2009 21:00
Photo of zebras at Taronga Zoo by janderk. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Last Christmas, my sister and I made our annual pilgrimage to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. It has become a tradition for us (as long as it is not too hot, of course).
Last Christmas we noticed the entry fee had gone up to $38 per adult. Still, we were happy to pay just so we could go and see all the animals. Nevertheless, it led to our annual discussion on how expensive it must be for families to visit the zoo.
A case in point: a few months ago my friend Andrea and her husband decided to take their two young children to Taronga Zoo. After paying for a family pass, food, drinks and souvenirs for the kids, the whole day had cost them over $100.
My sister has this wonderful way of putting the expensive entry fee into perspective: “When you think about how many animals they have to feed every day, not to mention basic veterinary care, $38 probably wouldn’t even cover the cost,” is what she likes to say whenever we go to the zoo. Hmmm. When she puts it like that, $38 actually sounds cheap! And if you then factor in zookeepers’ salaries, maintenance costs, costs associated with bringing in new animals, building or upgrading animal enclosures, you can’t help but wonder if the zoo even makes any money out of this.
As usual, my sister has the last word on this: “At least I feel I am making a contribution towards keeping these animals fed. So it’s like making a donation to charity.” The only difference is while donations are made with the expectation of receiving nothing in return, we get to see many wonderful wild animals and know they are being well looked after.
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