Denver Zoo Struggles in Pandemic to Feed Hungry Animals

DENVER (AP) — Katrina Eschweiler has 3,000 hungry diners to satisfy every day of the year. It's 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.

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.