DENVER (AP/KDVR) — Katrina Eschweiler has 3,000 hungry diners to satisfy every day of the year. It is an enviable client base for any eatery in these turbulent times.
But these diners are the year-round inhabitants of the Denver Zoo, and feeding more than 450 species is a painstaking, serious business.
Taji, a clouded leopard at the Denver Zoo, looks for his keeper, Kelsey Eggers, for a shot of milk from a spray bottle Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo has more than 450 species of animals, which costs almost $1 million a year to feed. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Two-year-old Cerah, a Sumattran orangutan, climbs onto a landing to get some food at the Denver Zoo on Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A bactrian camel named Hagrid, right, greets keeper Amanda Faliano as she tends to the camel at the Denver Zoo on Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. . (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Keeper Amanda Faliano, center, takes care of bactrian camels named Hagrid, left, and Sprout on Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Katrina Eschweiler, nutrition center manager at the Denver Zoo, prepares food boxes for the various denizens of the zoo Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Katrina Eschweiler, nutrition center manager at the Denver Zoo, gathers frozen mice as she prepares food boxes for the various raptors of the zoo Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Katrina Eschweiler, nutrition center manager at the Denver Zoo, unloads boxes of frozen fish from Newfoundland, Canada, outside the sea lion exhibit in the zoo Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Tori Rouzaud, a nutrition specialist at the Denver Zoo, prepares food boxes for the various denizens of the zoo Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
A buff-cheeked gibbon named Briscoe catches an egg tossed to him during feeding time at the Denver Zoo, Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Two-year-old Cerah, front right, looks to see what Berani, front left, is eating as Nias comes in to check on the pair at the Denver Zoo on Nov. 5, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Groucho, a soon-to-be 51-year-old Asian elephant, holds an apple in his trunk as keepers offer an afternoon repast of celery, carrots and apples at the Denver Zoo on Dec. 7, 2020, in Denver. The zoo was closed nearly three months early in the pandemic, then imposed restrictions on crowd sizes since reopening to the public June 12. That has cut into profits and led the zoo to join other zoos around the country in turning to supporters asking for donations to cover the nearly $1 million annual food budget for the facility’s denizens. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The coronavirus has made the task more daunting. The zoo was closed for nearly three months early in the pandemic.
Today, it allows reduced crowd sizes. That has cut into revenue and led the Denver Zoo to ask supporters for donations to cover its nearly $1 million annual food budget.
The Denver Zoo made this statement in response to the current situation:
Thanks to tremendous support of our guests, members and donors this year, we are not currently struggling to feed our animals. The wellbeing of the 3,000 animals under our care is and has always been our absolute priority, so we have adjusted in other areas to offset financial loses resulting from our 87-day closure and mandated reduced capacity.
As a nonprofit, we rely in part on donations to help operate the Zoo and our programs, including the feeding and care of our animals. That support has been more crucial than ever as we’ve navigated through the most challenging period of our 124-year history.
Tickets are not available at the Denver Zoo during COVID restrictions. The Zoo is limiting the number of visitors per day for proper social distancing and pre-purchased tickets are set for a certain time to stagger the amount of guests in the park at once.
