Sir David Attenborough calls on public to save zoos

Sir David Attenborough has appealed to the public to help save London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo from closing down.

The documentary maker has lent his voice to a TV appeal asking for money to be raised for the Zoological Society of London, which owns both zoos.

The ZSL is conservation charity which is almost 200 years old.

Their zoos are the biggest in the UK and it also has conservation projects in more than 50 countries.

"Put bluntly, the national institution is now itself at risk of extinction", Sir David said.

All zoos in the United Kingdom were forced to temporarily close in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was the first time London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo had closed their doors since World War Two - that's more than 75 years.

Lots of social distancing measures have been brought in since zoos re-opened their gates

Even though zoos were allowed to re-open in June, three months of income has been lost.

As well as this, all zoos have had to bring in social-distancing rules which has impacted on the number of people they have been allowed to let in now that they are open.

London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world

London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world, opening its first animal exhibit all the way back in 1849.

Whipsnade Zoo, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, is the largest zoo in the UK with 3,600 animals.

"Without your help we could see the closure of the world's oldest scientific zoo. A place where generations of people have forged a love of wildlife through their joyful encounters with animals", Sir David said.

Dominic Jermey, who is in charge of the ZSL, reiterated Sir David's view, saying they are facing their biggest challenge in history.

"The closure of London and Whipsnade Zoos put us under immense financial pressure," he said.

"Our zoos may have been able to reopen their gates, but with strict social distancing measures and heavily restricted visitor numbers we have no way of recouping what was lost", he explained.