A West Lothian zoo has revealed it is facing an "uncertain" future after the coronavirus outbreak temporarily closed the site.
Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder has warned it is now entering a "critical period" with essential overheads - not including wages - totalling a whopping £35,000 a month.
In a desperate attempt to raise funds to continue to care for the animals, the zoo, which is home to over 196 species of mammals birds and reptiles, has been selling plants and education or adoption packs.
Keepers at the zoo also launched a crowd funder to raise £100,000, writing this is the first time since the "tragic fire back in 2013" that they have had to close the zoo to the public.
In an appeal to visitors and supporters on social media, a spokesperson for Five Sisters Zoo said: "The zoo’s future remains uncertain and we are approaching a critical period, we have no income apart from the above and from plant sales our operating costs remain at around £35,000 a month.
"The selling of garden plant and sundries has been a great help, but we now hold too much stock as the initial demand and clamour for plants has understandably slowed down as most of our Facebook supporters have now sourced their plants.
"How can you help...if everyone who reads this post could share it to ensure that our plight is more widely recognised this would be a great help there must be lots more people out there who are still looking for plants and we still have lots here and they are of great quality. Every sale is a big help and every penny of profit goes back to help the zoo.
"Hopefully like everyone else we shall come out the other side intact", the added.
You can buy plants from Five Sisters Zoo here or by e-mailing brian@fivesisterszoo.co.uk.
You can also donate on the zoo's JustGiving page here.
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