Due to covid-19, Artis Zoo can only run at half speed and is heading for a loss of 10 million euros. Even with government support, cuts seem inevitable. “We are under enormous pressure,” says director Rembrandt Sutorius. According to him, the corona crisis proves that Artis is “more relevant than ever”.
The oldest zoo in the Netherlands is deep in the red. Artis was closed for more than two months due to the corona virus, and only a limited number of visitors are still allowed. “Something has to be done in the short term, because we are not going to make it with half our capacity,” says director Rembrandt Sutorius.
We are standing in front of the Monkey Rock, the familiar starting point of the walk through the renewed Artis. It is quiet in what Sutorius (38) likes to call “the city garden of Amsterdam”. Artis normally receives more than 1.4 million visitors a year, now the zoo is running at 50 percent. This amounts to a maximum of five thousand visitors per day. And that is not profitable. “It is quite internal,” Sutorius said. “Financially this is a dramatic scenario. We are a relatively healthy organization, but we cannot bear these losses much longer. ”
Since 2018, the annual subsidy of the municipality of Amsterdam has been reduced by 1 million euros to 4 million. Now it is hit hard. Sutorius: “You are talking about millions of euros in loss. We are hit hard. ”
Surreal
Walking through a closed Artis was almost surreal, says Sutorius. “Even in the Second World War, Artis remained open, this closure was unique. And then another two months. Costs continued and we had zero revenues. It felt very unreal. That’s when you realize that Artis is a beautiful paradise in the middle of Amsterdam. Then you also want people to be able to enjoy it. And so we look for alternatives in a creative way. For example, we have the evening walk, with which we extend our opening hours and still get more people in. ”
Last week it seemed as if the city council would keep day trippers and tourists out of Amsterdam. Sutorius: “This created the impression that Amsterdam is a major source of infection. This has a direct influence on the number of visitors. It is disastrous for our organization, while it is not necessary. Communication must be accurate.
“We can control how many people come in and they have a time slot. They follow a routing so that it does not get too busy on the narrower parts. We can guarantee a distance of 1.5 meters everywhere. Artis is one of the safest places in Amsterdam during the corona crisis.
“I don’t expect us to close again, not even with a second wave of the corona virus. We do not have masks with the Artis logo on them. I do not prefer that people wear a mask in Artis. But the guidelines of the RIVM will of course continue to guide us. ”
Artis is forced to make painful choices. The 2019 master plan with investments of 180 million euros cannot be implemented now. “Investments have been shelved,” says Sutorius. “We are now focusing on cost reduction first.”
Transition
All buildings in Artis are national monuments, but the transition from zoo to ‘natural garden’ will be delayed. Sutorius: “We wanted to deliver a renovated animal shelter or improve the botanical garden every year. We cannot maintain that pace. The lions are still on the old terrace, the question is whether we can build their new housing. Other enclosures are also outdated and we want to renovate them to promote animal welfare. But we do need money. ”
For the Aquarium, Sutorius says that the old showpiece of Artis also urgently needs to be renovated. “This is overdue maintenance, but you are talking about millions. It has to happen, the question is whether it is possible in a slimmed-down form. It cannot be the case that we will soon open our new Groote Museum and at the same time have to close the Aquarium. It’s a devil’s dilemma. We prepare for the worst and hope for the best. ”
In 2017, at the age of 36, Sutorius became the youngest director of Artis ever. As a manager at consultancy firm McKinsey he was already affiliated with Artis in an advisory role, now he was allowed to determine the strategy himself. Sutorius told Het Parool how he had come to this remarkable step. With great bravado he sent the then director Haig Balian an email. “Hey, you don’t know me yet. But I am your successor. “And he became.
Sutorius also had to attract new sponsors with his network. He can forget that now? “Not as far as I’m concerned. I am continuously in discussion with many parties. Artis is more relevant than ever. The coronavirus shows that humans are part of nature and not above it, as we sometimes think. Choosing nature conservation is therefore choosing self-preservation. The corona crisis will also speed up the climate debate. In Artis we bring nature closer to people and show you how to deal with it responsibly.
“We want to tell that story in the museum, where all parts of Artis come together. Not moralistic or normative, but with a clear message. The realization that we depend on nature and have to deal with it differently should not disappear now. Let this crisis be a wake-up call. Now is the time to combat deforestation, for example. We must not shy away from radical choices. It takes political courage. ”
Mission
Artis was founded in 1838 under the name Natura Artis Magistra, with the aim of “promoting the knowledge of natural history”. That mission is still very much alive, says Sutorius. “People know Artis as a zoo, but nature research was already done here 182 years ago. You will find all facets of nature, we explain why microbes have such a big influence on food and health. Companies can also gather knowledge about sustainability in Artis. We want nature organizations to join. ”
Through a common European breeding program, in which Artis participates, the algazel (antelope) that was extinct in the wild has been returned to nature. Five juvenile griffon vultures were released in Sardinia to complement the lost game. “The cause is always man,” says Sutorius. “We want to show a new world in Artis in a light-hearted way.”
Shouldn’t Artis become more commercial? Ouwehand Zoo scored with two pandas, the newborn elephant in Artis is less noticeable. Sutorius: “Panda” became the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund and they also have a high cuddly content. Every animal and every plant counts, it depends on which story you tell. Artis must become a movement, our role is evident and it also deserves support in times of crisis. Artis has a social function. ”
The walk through Artis ends at the red varieties, the “half-monkeys”. “This place is a model for where we want to go with Artis,” says Sutorius. “The red varieties can move freely. And visitors walk through it. ”
Artis is in a dilemma, Sutorius admits. “Artis is not doing well, I cannot deny it. Yet this place is so deeply anchored in the history and culture of Amsterdam that Artis will still exist in 180 years. We do need support. We want to open the Museum by the end of 2021, but we are under enormous financial pressure. “
