The privately owned zoo, which houses abandoned, abused, surrendered or un-releasable animals, shut its doors to visitors in early March, and is asking for help to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a landmark attraction for over 80 years, is asking for the community’s help to survive the financial difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The privately owned zoo, which houses abandoned, abused, surrendered or un-releasable animals, shut its doors to visitors in early March due to government mandates.

Although people can no longer buy tickets to visit the animals, the zoo’s staff still works each day to feed, care for and engage with the animals.

“We’re a business, we’re a staple in Sarasota, and we look forward to welcoming people back — but it’s not easy, we need help,” owner Nancy Lavick said. “Even though we don’t have any revenue, we still have operating expenses.”

The zoo had to lay off several employees, and Lavick and the general manager are working without pay. Lavick said the zoo is still waiting to hear about a small business loan.

“We’ve had to become very creative and take on tasks outside of our normal job descriptions,” Lavick said. “The keepers who are still here are all working very hard to keep the animals engaged and on their schedules.”

This isn’t the first obstacle Sarasota Jungle Gardens has faced. In 2017, the zoo was closed for six weeks after Hurricane Irma crushed trees and enclosures on the 10-acre attraction.

But they came back stronger after Irma, and they hope they can this time, too.

“We’ve been here for a long time and we’d like to be here for an even longer time,” Lavick said. “We don’t have certainty but we are looking at ways we can continue offering great services to our customers.”

The zoo has created a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of raising $60,000 to help cover some operating expenses for three months.

The zoo also created an Amazon wish list with items for the animals, and an 18-month pass to buy, and an option to “adopt” an animal, which comes with perks.

“We have a lot of hope because we have an outdoor facility,” Levick said. “We’re hoping we’ll be able to practice safe social distancing and be able to open again soon.”

Sarasota Jungle Gardens began its journey 80 years ago as a botanical garden when David Breed Lindsay bought 10 acres of land west of U.S. 41 that was designated as an “impenetrable swamp.” Neighbor Pearson Conrad owned a nursery, and the two plotted out the streams and lakes on the property. They planted exotic tropical plants imported from all over the world. The park first opened to the public on New Year’s Eve in 1939, charging 35 cents for adults and 10 cents for children.

The attraction is now home to alligators, crocodiles, tortoises, snakes, parrots, lemurs, African porcupine and Muntjac deer and, most famously, the flamingos that visitors can feed by hand.

One zoo regular, who planned to visit for her birthday, was disappointed she wouldn’t be able to see the flamingos. So her husband reached out to the zoo for a video of the birds and a shout-out to his wife.

“The interactions we have had with past visitors have been really fabulous,” Lavick said. “I’m looking forward to being able to put a smile on a 7-year-old’s face as well as the 77-year-old’s face.”