KUALA LUMPUR: The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry (KeTSA) provided RM1.3 million to Zoo Negara through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) in June for the purpose of obtaining food supplies for the wildlife.
Its minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the ministry was aware that zoo and permanent wildlife exhibition (ZPT) suffered losses due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) and they have implemented several measures to ease their financial hardship and protect the welfare of the wildlife.
"Zoo Negara is owned by the Malaysian Zoological Society (MZS), which is a non-governmental organisation (NGO). Perhilitan issues ZPT operating permit to Zoo Negara on a yearly basis.
"ZPT as a business entity should not rely on the government for survival although the government has implemented several initiatives to help them.
"In terms of short-term measures, KeTSA allocated RM10.2 million under the Prihatin Wildlife Welfare Fund to affected ZPTs to ease the burden of operational costs by covering food supplies for the wildlife, husbandry management and medicines.
"21 ZPTs have applied for assistance and the allocations have been channelled in stages since May," he said in a statement.
He also said the government has extended a 15 per cent discount on monthly electricity bills for six months to ZPTs under the Prihatin stimulus package; distributed 15 tonnes of items from the Malaysian Department of Quarantine and Inspection Services (Maqis) including meat, vegetables and fruits to ZPT premises; besides providing technical support to ZPTs, especially in husbandry management.
"As part of long-term measures, KeTSA through Perhilitan organised consultation sessions with the Malaysian Association of Zoological Park and Aquaria (MAZPA) and ZPTs to review all regulations related to ZPT operations under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) to ensure ZPTs become financially sustainable and safeguard the welfare of the wildlife.
"The strategies to improvise will be outlined in the New ZPT Model and will be implemented after it is finalised.
"This is important because operating ZPTs not only require expertise, but also involve high development and operation costs," he said.
The financial plights of zoos nationwide caught public attention after independent preacher Ustaz Ebit Lew donated food supplies for Zoo Negara's animals and posted about the zoo's financial woes on his social media on Nov 15.
Yesterday, Bernama quoted Zoo Negara zoology, veterinary and Giant Panda Conservation Centre director Dr Mat Naim Ramli as saying that the zoo has only three months' worth of emergency funds left.