Chester Zoo has announced it is to cut dozens more jobs as it continues to battle the effects of the coronavirus.
The zoo has said the Covid-19 pandemic is "by far the worst crisis" it has ever faced, and it is still looking to plug the £5m hole left in its finances.
That's despite an "overwhelming volume of donations and incredible actions of those fundraising on our behalf".
In a statement released this week, the zoo said it had "sought every possible way of reducing costs", including the furlough scheme and freezing external recruiment.
The zoo has now put 45 members of staff at risk of redundancy, with 36 having already left on a voluntary basis.
Describing the "horrible situation", Dr Mark Pilgrim, CEO, said: “We hoped this scheme would be enough to prevent us from having to make additional steps and, while it has undoubtedly helped us, it’s with huge regret that we have to further streamline our charity, in order to make more vital savings, and allow us to come out of this terrible pandemic as strongly as we possibly can.
"It’s with a heavy heart that the roles of 45 staff members are therefore at risk of redundancy. We’ll now be entering a period of meaningful consultation and the zoo’s employee representatives (staff association) will be involved every step of the way, to help and support those involved and to collectively explore and consider other options, such as alternative employment and reduced hours.
“This is a horrible situation and never did we think it would come to having to make redundancies.
"It’s certainly not something that we ever wanted to do but, unfortunately, we have to act to try to protect the long term future of our much-loved charity and to continue to prevent the extinction of endangered species.”
Like most attractions across the country, Chester Zoo had to shut its doors to visitors for three months during the crisis - taking away its main source of income.
A campaign called 'Save Our Zoo' was launched, and it raised £2.4m in the space of a week. It opened to the public last month.
