THE REIGN OF ‘TIGER KING’ IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix released its controversial “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” to a captive, on-edge (and also bored) American audience. The COVID-19 crisis caused many, but not all, American zoos and aquariums to shut down temporarily as social distancing orders were implemented. Now, in early May, as some states are beginning to loosen restrictions, zoos and aquariums are considering what it means to be re-opening in a new normal.
Q: Has your facility received any feedback (positive or negative) related to "Tiger King" whether through direct communication or via social media?
Felis Consulting, a strategic master planning and design firm focused on the needs of smaller zoos and aquariums, set out to understand the states of mind of zoo professionals during this unprecedented time. After reviewing the responses to an admittedly informal and unscientific survey of 32 private and public, AZA, ZAA and non-accredited facilities ranging in size from 1000 to 700,000+ in annual attendance (including 3 programs based facilities with no annual attendance), the state of mind of these professionals largely align—with some key variances.
Overall, the respondents reported having very little negative feedback directly related to their own institution from the “Tiger King” program. Many report receiving some questions about husbandry, and several stated that they have received positive feedback, confirming their public recognize that their institution is very “different” from those portrayed in the series. One small facility who relies on interactions as their primary engagement with the public has, however, experienced very different results—receiving a lot of negative comments on social media. This institution anticipates some impact directly from “Tiger King” upon reopening, while very few others anticipate any impact. ZAA and non-accredited institutions expressed the most pessimism related to anticipating blowback from the show, while AZA facilities anticipate very little negative impact. Perhaps the timing of the release of the series was fortuitous for zoos and aquariums. Despite seeing many negative social media comments about zoos and captivity in general on posts related to “Tiger King,” the limited access to zoos and aquariums right now may have hindered any controversy from developing.
Q: Do you believe "Tiger King" will have any affect on your business / attendance once you are once again open? (% stating “Yes”)
While “Tiger King” may not affect the re-opening of most facilities, the respondents expressed that the government will. With nearly 85% of respondents’ facilities closed at the time of the survey, approximately 2/3 of respondents have been planning for re-opening on a specific date as a goal—despite being unsure when and if that opening date is realistic. Large and AZA-accredited facilities are the most likely to be operating this way right now. The vast majority report their re-opening is entirely based on governmental rules, restrictions, or recommendations. A few do report they will be considering staying closed even after the government gives the OK, due to safety and health considerations for public, staff, and animals. Several report they are considering re-opening or re-instating full operations based solely on financial considerations.
Although this survey does not touch upon the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 shutdown, it must be said that this time of shut-down or extreme social distancing requirements is a huge burden for all facilities. Private institutions may be hit the hardest and most immediately due to their reliance on revenues from admissions and sales. However, public institutions supported by funds from the government will also be invariably suffering as loss of tax revenues affecting overall budgets will be realized. One organization stated that they have already lost over $700,000 in revenues during these nearly two months of shut down.
Q: How do you expect attendance will be affected once you re-open?
Upon re-opening, predictions about attendance are the least agreed upon by respondents. Overall, the majority of respondents are pessimistic about attendance, anticipating decreases in the months following the re-opening in comparison to the same period in previous years. However, small facilities (under 200,000 in annual attendance) are the most optimistic about seeing an increase in attendance, with nearly 30% expressing views that the effects of cabin fever will outweigh social distancing and/or household financial concerns. Other issues related to attendance that are top of mind include the impact of COVID-19 on tourism in general, and how to manage operations and messaging related to social distancing and sanitizing once re-opened.
Although most respondents did watch “Tiger King”—nearly 85%, only a few expressed optimism about the potential it provides for messaging to the public. Just 10% of respondents directly addressed the series and the issues it has raised on social media. One respondent stated their facility is “not going to bring attention to it. The more you do, the more people will believe that Joe Exotic’s behavior is normal and more zoos are like them.” On the other hand, several institutions expressed the desire to build on the fame of the show and use it as a platform to message about their own husbandry efforts and what it means to be a responsible zoo.
Q: Do you have a public relations plan developed (or in development) related to animal rights attacks (whether specifically related to "Tiger King" or not)?
This brings up the topic of preparedness for responses to potential public relations issues. Surprisingly, especially in the wake of “Blackfish,” less than half of all respondents have a PR policy or protocol for animal rights related attacks. Large, public, or AZA-accredited facilities are most likely to report having a policy developed.
As we move toward a more normal state of living, we all know there will be many changes. Preparing for those changes requires some prediction, whether based on experience, data, or gut instincts. Just as everyone is dealing with ‘stay at home’ orders differently, zoos and aquariums are also dealing with this shut down differently. What is clear is the importance of communication and the continued sharing of ideas and knowledge. Felis Consulting hopes to continue surveying the community in the future to monitor the state of the industry during and following this tumultuous time. Thank you for your participation. Stay safe, stay sane, and stay cool, all you cats and kittens!
