Zoo Negara received nearly RM10mil in govt aid since 2018, Dewan Rakyat told

KUALA LUMPUR: Zoo Negara received RM9.86mil in aid from the government between 2018 and last year, says Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Of the amount, RM8.5mil was for operating costs while RM1.36mil was to cover animal food, husbandry management and medicines through the Wildlife Welfare Concerns Fund under Covid-19 aid.

"Zoo Negara is owned and managed by an NGO, the Zoological Association of Malaysia,” Nik Nazmi said during Question Time in Parliament on Tuesday (March 14).

Wong Kah Woh (PH-Taiping) had asked about the allocations given to Zoo Negara and Zoo Taiping since 2018.

Zoo Taiping & Night Safari received RM4.8mil in allocations from the government during the same period, Nik Nazmi said.

RM3.8mil was to upgrade the zoo facilities and RM1mil was for the management and welfare of the animals through the Wildlife Welfare Concerns Fund, he added.

“Zoo Taiping & Night Safari is owned and managed by the Taiping town council,” he added.

Nik Nazmi told the House that from 2018 to last year, Zoo Negara recorded 1,513,292 visitors while Zoo Taiping & Night Safari recorded 3,074,852 visitors.