CHESTERFIELD COUNTY -
With more snow in the forecast, many business owners say this winter has been one of the toughest they've seen.
That's especially true for the Metro Richmond Zoo, where no matter what the weather, hundreds of animals have to be fed, and all of their habitats have to be maintained.
Owner Jim Andelin calls this the longest, wettest, coldest, snowiest winter in the 16 year history of the zoo.
He says they lost thousands of dollars, because they had to close for more than a month. They simply couldn't clear all the snow and ice from all the walks to make it safe for visitors.
The bleachers from the holiday show back in December are still up, because the ground has been too wet to move them.
Meanwhile, the work to take care of the animals basically doubled.
Every day the staff had to use tractors to get through the snow to take food to the animals. They had to break up ice, so the animals could get to water that wasn't frozen.
They even had to go out in the moats in canoes to break up that ice, so the animals couldn't walk across and right out of their habitats. Some of the animals simply had to stay indoors.
Jim Andelin says, "We would have to shift the animals inside the stalls and then clean the stall, then move them back, and then clean the stall they were in, so it was like double work when we can't get some of the animals out."
A number of babies have been born at the zoo this winter. A couple didn't make it, but most are doing great, thanks to the care of the staff and lots of bottle feeding.
All of those animals will eventually return to their groups.
Andelin says the money that comes in always depends on the weather.
Attendance drops when it snows or rains. He's counting on warmer weather to bring the visitors back.
For more information on the Metro Richmond Zoo click here.
That's especially true for the Metro Richmond Zoo, where no matter what the weather, hundreds of animals have to be fed, and all of their habitats have to be maintained.
Owner Jim Andelin calls this the longest, wettest, coldest, snowiest winter in the 16 year history of the zoo.
He says they lost thousands of dollars, because they had to close for more than a month. They simply couldn't clear all the snow and ice from all the walks to make it safe for visitors.
The bleachers from the holiday show back in December are still up, because the ground has been too wet to move them.
Meanwhile, the work to take care of the animals basically doubled.
Every day the staff had to use tractors to get through the snow to take food to the animals. They had to break up ice, so the animals could get to water that wasn't frozen.
They even had to go out in the moats in canoes to break up that ice, so the animals couldn't walk across and right out of their habitats. Some of the animals simply had to stay indoors.
Jim Andelin says, "We would have to shift the animals inside the stalls and then clean the stall, then move them back, and then clean the stall they were in, so it was like double work when we can't get some of the animals out."
A number of babies have been born at the zoo this winter. A couple didn't make it, but most are doing great, thanks to the care of the staff and lots of bottle feeding.
All of those animals will eventually return to their groups.
Andelin says the money that comes in always depends on the weather.
Attendance drops when it snows or rains. He's counting on warmer weather to bring the visitors back.
For more information on the Metro Richmond Zoo click here.
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