Walter Zoo in Gossau SG has achieved its best season in history for visitor attendance, yet director Karin Federer reports that the institution retains virtually no financial reserves.
High temperatures during the peak season initially caused attendance to drop as local residents headed to public swimming pools instead of the animal enclosures. To counteract the summer slump, the zoo offered free admission in July for children accompanied by adults, a promotion that ultimately propelled overall attendance to record highs.
Director Karin Federer noted that despite the heat, the animals were well-cared for. Our animals have full board,
Federer said regarding the residents such as the Siberian tiger and the lesser panda resting in the shade.
Publicly available financial records indicate that Walter Zoo posted deficits totaling more than 620,000 Swiss francs across 2023 and 2024. Capital expenditures in 2023 exceeded one million Swiss francs, funding new office spaces and a production kitchen that increased depreciation costs.
Federer stated that the zoo needs roughly 800 daily visitors to break even, and while peak days draw up to 3,500 guests, little capital remains at the end of the fiscal year. The 40-year-old gastronomy building, staff quarters, cloakrooms, and parking areas now require urgent modernization.
To generate future revenue and build financial reserves, zoo leadership planned a specialized glowing exhibition featuring thousands of glowworms. Project costs are estimated at 16.79 million Swiss francs, with 9.51 million secured by the end of September. Because a shortfall of 7.28 million Swiss francs remains, the zoo postponed construction by one year despite holding a valid building permit.
Federer emphasized that good animal care involves occasional challenges rather than complete elimination of stress, noting that wild predators must hunt multiple times before securing prey. Rather than expanding into a massive regional attraction akin to the Zurich Zoo, leadership intends to maintain a family-friendly boutique atmosphere focused on personal visitor contact and endangered species conservation.
