Normally this is the time of year we start getting excited to go see the animals at John Ball Zoo, but it looks like because of the COVID-19 outbreak, those days are going to have to wait a bit, which is truly for the best.

John Ball Zoo announced in a press release on Saturday, March 21st that they would "remain closed until further notice and in alignment with government guidelines."

Now while that's sad on just a "john ball Zoo is a cool place to hang out and see the animals they’re also a nonprofit,  so the zoo being open is how it brings in money to help them take care of all these animals.  That’s why in the press release the zoo asked for help, in the form of a cash donation or gift,

As a non-profit organization that is open seasonally, we rely heavily on ticket sales, memberships, education program fees, food and beverage sales, and event revenue in order to deliver on our mission to protect wild places and save animals from extinction. However, being closed a bit longer will have an impact on us and our budget. While we are fortunate enough to have staff and leadership who plan ahead to ensure the animal's care continues no matter what the circumstances, we are asking for you to consider making a gift today for us to continue to do so. We love our community and our incredible supporters. We cannot do this without you, and we CAN NOT wait to see you.

The press release goes on to say even if you can’t make a gift donation right now they still can’t wait to see you when they reopen. They also promise some behind the scenes access throughout their social media prior to the zoo re-opening. So if you’re missing out on some time with the animals make sure you follow the John Ball zoo on social media.

More From 100.5 FM The River