Mexico biopark struggles to feed its animals

With Mexico extending social distancing measures due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country's many themed parks are struggling to find the funds to keep running.

Restrictive measures will continue for another month in Mexico, until the end of May, with the peak of the pandemic still some three weeks away, according to government estimates.

That is not good news for animal parks like Bioparque Estrella - one of more than 50 themed parks throughout the country - and for all its 1,500 permanent residents like elephants, lions, and giraffes.

The visitors' entrance fees pay for food for the animals, the upkeep of the park and staff wages.

Park managers are busy devising strategies to keep their animals fed and their caretakers employed, like selling tickets online, in advance, at a quarter of their value for when the park reopens once the pandemic is over.

The strategy has surpassed the 1,000 ticket sales the park had planned but is still far from the 10,000 people per day that visited the park on Easter last year.

The entertainment industry has been one of the worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic as it was one of the first to stop activities and is expected to be one of the last to resume business.

Mexico has confirmed more than 8,200 coronavirus cases and reported over 686 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.