To rally its supporters, the Wildlife Conservation Society posted a video on YouTube depicting the zoo`s director laying off a porcupine because of the proposed funding cuts; a toad waits outside the office, the next to go.
If Paterson`s proposal is carried out, zoo officials say they will have to cut staff, eliminate educational and outreach programs, cut back on free and reduced-admission hours and — in the most dire cases — close exhibits and ship collections to other facilities.
Jeffery Gordon, a spokesman for the state`s budget division, said Paterson will focus the state`s more than $200 million in environmental funding on `critical capital initiatives that provide ongoing environmental benefits` rather than annual operating support to organizations, which he said tend to have more options for raising money.
Image: Kelly Schroer, greets a sea lion during feeding at the Buffalo Zoo in Buffalo, N.Y.
