Jackson Zoo workers get pay cuts as revenue keeps falling

Published 12:02 pm Friday, July 27, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Workers at the Jackson Zoo will see deep pay cuts amid declining revenue.

Jackson Zoological Society Executive Director Beth Poff says the zoo is in “a dire situation.” She says the pay cuts will affect all employees.

Poff says the zoo is operating with 32 employees, but needs closer to 45 employees to fully staff the zoo’s needs.

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The Clarion-Ledger reports that zoo attendance keeps dropping, from more than 185,000 guests in 2003 to just over 100,000 in 2017.

A recent zoo study concluded that revenue will likely continue to fall unless the city provides a comprehensive plan to revitalize neighborhoods surrounding the zoo.