The Monterey Bay Aquarium used to host thousands of daily patrons, but due to the lockdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors has dropped to zero.
Officials say about 240 staff members were laid off because of the financial strain of the pandemic.
With no guests, the aquarium has gone from about a $90 million annual budget to a loss of $55 million in revenue in the last ten months.
Fortunately, the animals continue to thrive.
However, the Monterey Bay Aquarium staff say they are still in need of community support to continue their operations and caring for the animals.
To find out how you can help, visit the website https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/donate.
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The aquarium also adapted to virtual changes in an effort to keep life at the aquarium going for its followers.
Live cams streaming the jellyfish and live kelp forest tanks proved to be a big hit, drawing in thousands of viewers from across the globe.
In addition, the aquarium’s Education Director, Jenny de la Hoz says over 70,000 children are registered for online learning programs designed to keep them engaged in their education.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium staff say they are still in need of community support to continue their operations and caring for the animals.
To find out how you can help, visit the website https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/donate.
