Meet the six year old girl who raised over $138K for the Oakland Zoo

“Wow!!!! Look at what you’ve done, little one! You are a superstar! Thank you for making this happen. You have made a difference and you are an inspiration to all of us,” wrote Judy Waller.

It’s a level of enthusiasm that supporters hope will help the zoo stay afloat until restrictions on public gatherings are eased.

“We are utterly grateful for her passion and her generosity and coming to our aid and we’re looking forward to having her over for a special visit very soon to thank her in person,” said zoo spokeswoman Erin Harrison.

Harrison said that it costs the zoo about $1 million to operate every month and currently it has roughly $3.2 million in a reserve account that can help keep the lights on and the animals cared for.

Zoo officials are also asking Alameda County to apply for an exemption though the state so that it might reopen its gates.

If that happens, it could operate at about one-third capacity, which would likely be enough to help the zoo survive until the public health restrictions are lifted, Harrison said.
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