Photos: At $70,000 a month, feeding animals at the Audubon Institute proves challenging during COVID-19
Feeding 15,000 animals a month can be challenging in the best of circumstances. Because of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the Audubon Nature Institute estimates a roughly 80 percent decrease in attendance this year. This loss of revenue makes it more challenging to keep the animals and fish nutritiously fed. To help out, Rouses Markets is stepping in for one month to help feed the animals with donations of fresh produce and seafood. For more information and to find out how you can help too, click here: https://www.rouses.com/your-animals-need-you/
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Conner Kennedy, center, reacts to getting close to a giraffe as he and George Royster, right, and others feed the giraffes at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Rouses Markets is donating food for a month to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist attractions like the zoo have seen roughly an 80 percent decrease in attendance because of the pandemic. This drop in financial revenue is putting a strain on operations.
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Donated sliced carrots are fed to the giraffes at the Audubon Zoo.
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Zookeeper Alanea Fink feeds sliced carrots to Forest and Chui, two giraffes at Audubon Zoo.
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Ry Gipson, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, unpacks empty buckets in the zoo's kitchen as he prepares to deliver food to the animals.
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Stephanie Watkins, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, sorts, chops, and prepares raw vegetables in the zoo's kitchen.
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Boxes of food donated from Rouses Markets are delivered to the Audubon Zoo to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
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Ry Gipson, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, carries empty buckets in the zoo's kitchen as he prepares to deliver food to the animals.
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A giraffe named Forest nibbles the fingers of zookeeper Alanea Fink at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Rouses Markets is donating food for a month to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist attractions like the zoo have seen roughly an 80 percent decrease in attendance because of the pandemic. This drop in financial revenue is putting a strain on operations.
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The children of Rouses Markets employees put on gloves as they prepare to feed the giraffes at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Sept. 29.
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Jambi, a Sumatran orangutan at the Audubon Zoo, has a bucket designated just for her food delivery.
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Stephanie Watkins, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, prepares raw vegetables to feed the bats.
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Conner Kennedy reacts to getting close to a giraffe as he and others feed the giraffes at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Rouses Markets is donating food for a month to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist attractions like the zoo have seen roughly an 80 percent decrease in attendance because of the pandemic. This drop in financial revenue is putting a strain on operations.
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A giraffe sticks out her tongue as a carrot is fed to her at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
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Stephanie Watkins, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, prepares raw vegetables in the zoo's kitchen.
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Johnny Royster looks at his oversized gloves as he and his siblings, Audrey and George, right, hold up their hands as they anticipate feeding the giraffes at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Rouses Markets is donating food for a month to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist attractions like the zoo have seen roughly an 80 percent decrease in attendance because of the pandemic. This drop in financial revenue is putting a strain on operations.
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Stephanie Watkins, left, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, uses her foot to close a refrigerator door as she carries raw vegetables into the zoo's kitchen.
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Ry Gipson, a commissary keeper at the Audubon Zoo, pulls a menu specifically created for the South American capybaras, as he chops vegetables and other foods for animals at the New Orleans zoo on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. Rouses Markets is donating food for a month to help feed the animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist attractions like the zoo have seen roughly an 80 percent decrease in attendance because of the pandemic. This drop in financial revenue is putting a strain on operations.