Zoos Fourish in Reccession

Despite an economic recession and a decline in sponsors over the last year, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is becoming a more popular attraction among Central New Yorkers.

In 2008 Rosamond Gifford’s attendance was at its highest in over seven years.

“(The recession) isn’t hurting us. It may even be helping us just because people aren’t going out of town and there looking for things to do,” said Lorrell Walter the zoo’s Director of Public Relations.

“People may not be taking that trip to Florida or North Carolina but they are looking for some place new to go right in their state,” Walter said.

Walter also said another reason why the zoo’s attendance is up because the cost of admission is at Rosamond Gifford is very affordable and not a financial strain of struggling families.

Participation in the zoo’s May EdZOOcation and Summer Zoo Camp two of the zoo’s youth programs is also rising during the recession. Last year the programs completely filled up last summer and are expected to do the same this year.

Rosamond Gifford does not plan to have any new exhibits or projects this year, but “it has nothing to do with the economy” Walter said.

Nationally countless other zoos are thriving especially in major cities like Detroit, San Francisco, and Minnesota where attendance exceeded a million people in each zoo last year.