MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Memphis Zoo has laid off employees as it said it is reorganizing the Education department.
In a statement to ABC24, the zoo said it reduced “the part-time component” of the Exhibit Guide program and reorganized the Animal Interpretive Team. The zoo has not responded to questions about how many employees are affected by the lay-offs or when and how those workers were notified, or other questions regarding the lay-offs.
The zoo said the changes would “not impact the high standard of care” for the animals.
Read the full statement from the zoo below:
“The recent move was the result of a comprehensive reorganization of our Education department. We reduced the part-time component of our Exhibit Guide program and reorganized our Animal Interpretive Team to be more effective and efficient as we focus on guest experience while being fiscally responsible. Our organization remains deeply committed to our mission of conservation, education, and animal welfare, and we want to emphasize that these changes will not impact the high standard of care we provide for our animals. We believe that the changes enable us to continue delivering outstanding experiences to our visitors while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our institution.”
The Zoo also announced that starting Sept. 5, 2023, general admission tickets will now be sold online on its website. (The zoo corrected an earlier posting which said it would be "exclusively" online). It said the general admission tickets bought online will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. The zoo said the change is meant to "streamline Zoo entry, prioritizing ease of access for both general admission ticket holders and Zoo members.
The zoo also said that while it "strongly encourages" buying tickets online, there will be a ticket booth for on-site purchase, and AZA and Member Benefit Tickets will continue to be sold in person.