Steep drop in number of Zoo Negara visitors

KUALA LUMPUR: While the animals at Zoo Negara are holding up, thanks to their keepers’ care, the number of visitors is plunging during the hot season.

Malaysian Zoological Society’s Giant Panda Conservation Centre and veterinary services director Dr Mat Naim Ramli said there was a noticeable drop in the number of visitors, especially as the March school holidays are a popular time for families to visit the zoo.

In January, the zoo recorded 30,000 visitors (down from 39,000 during the same period in 2014), while in February, it had 52,000 visitors (down from 63,000 in February 2014).

He said he was worried that a continued heatwave could result in a steeper drop in visitor numbers this year, just as the long haze last year caused families to shy away from the largely outdoor zoo.

“Last year was the worst in visitor numbers over the past 20 years, even though the panda exhibit started to bring crowds back to the zoo,” Dr Mat Naim said.

When the panda exhibit first opened, the annual visitor numbers shot up from around 600,000 in 2013 to 780,000 in 2014. But last year, the number dropped to just 535,000 people.

“Thankfully there has been no animal death caused by heat stroke,” he said, adding most animals could tolerate higher temperatures than humans. The zoo was also taking precautionary measures such as providing more shelters, drinking water, and supplements that lowered the animals’ stress.

Dr Mat Naim said more keepers were also on duty to ensure visitors did not harass the animals as stress exacerbated by heat could cause sudden death.

He said despite the tough conditions, Zoo Negara was upholding its duty to educate, organise exhibits and interactive talks on the importance of river conservation in conjunction with World Water Day.

Education Department head Ju­­nai­­di Omar said river conservation was not only about protecting wild flora but was also important to ensure the cleanliness of water supplied to the people.

Zoo Negara also celebrated the 25th birthday of its Nile hippopotamus named Kibu on Sunday.

Kibu, along with her 37-year-old partner Duke and their three-year-old offspring Ja’a were given a birthday cake made of carrots, kang­­kung, papaya, tall grass and watermelon.