The coronavirus pandemic has forced a Port Stephens wildlife sanctuary to delay its re-opening indefinitely and has owners appealing for help with taking care of the creatures that call the facility home.
Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters was scheduled to reopen on April 1 after moving from a site at Bobs Farm to Anna Bay.
But after three weeks of moving, the business announced this week that it would remain closed to the public indefinitely.
While the federal government's small business financial assistance measures may help the centre with some costs, it still faces the prospect of having to maintain aquatic equipment and caring for wildlife - including paying large electricity bills and buying food - while closed for an undetermined period of time until the COVID-19 crisis subsides.
"We're applying for the employee wage subsidy and that will certainly help a little bit, it will mean that the money people have donated ... will stretch a bit further, but it doesn't cover the cost of food and electricity for the animals," senior fish keeper Shiara Henderson told the Newcastle Herald.
The business has a Go Fund Me page set up for people to donate money towards the cost of ongoing care for the animals and maintenance of equipment.
"Instead of being so excited for our grand opening and hiring new staff for the future we are scrambling to figure out how we can survive with no income," a statement from the business on social media said.
"We can't just pack up, turn off the power, lock the doors and return in 3-6 months, we have over 250 animals to feed, clean, provide heating and cooling, provide fresh flowing filtered water for and staff to pay to look after them.
"Having just spent all our money on our amazing new facility and now, without being able to open, we are in dire straights. As a small business we have been planning it for 5 years and have put every everything we have into it."
The business had raised almost $10,000 in the first six days of the Go Fund Me appeal, up to Thursday afternoon, with more than 150 donors giving money.
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