Zoos Victoria to cut up to 70 jobs, including in conservation and wildlife

Zoos Victoria is seeking to cut up to 70 roles across its workforce, prompting concerns the organisation’s operations, conservation and wildlife services will all be affected.

The Community and Public Sector Union and United Workers Union are pushing back against the proposed cuts, arguing the organisation that oversees Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Kyabram Fauna Park has been poorly managed financially.

Zoos staff were briefed last week that a restructure was under way and would be implemented by October. Individual worker meetings were expected to continue until Friday, with employees told the final figure remained up to consultation.

“Our priority is to make sure Zoos Victoria is well positioned for the future: supporting our people, caring for our animals and continuing to serve the community,” acting chief executive Dr Mark Pilgrim said.

An Allan government spokesperson said frontline services will not be impacted.

“Victoria’s zoos will remain a world-class wildlife destination, and we continue to back them with initiatives like free entry for kids on public holidays, weekends and school holidays,” they said.

“Victoria remains well prepared for animal disease outbreaks like avian influenza, with backing from the Commonwealth and multiple Victorian agencies working to detect and prepare for any potential outbreaks.”

In the 2024-25 financial year, Zoos Victoria posted a net operating deficit of $5.6 million. This was largely driven by operating expenses jumping to $137 million, a $9.3 million increase on the previous year.

The organisation’s annual report said these expenses were driven by “high fixed costs linked to the care of animals and assets of Zoos Victoria”.

Financial reports also show the zoos increased revenue from ticket sales and memberships, up $4.6 million in a year to $92.9 million.

There were 2.7 million visitors across all four zoos, and they sold 352,089 memberships.

Outside of this, total income from sponsorship, government and other grants, including from the park charge, was $53 million. This was slightly down on the year before and only $1 million more than these categories brought in 2020-21, before post-pandemic inflation hit Australia.

CPSU Victoria secretary Jiselle Hanna said Zoos Victoria was now proposing drastic cuts after years of running at a financial loss.

The union estimated about 100 jobs could be slashed, with 70 full-time roles on the chopping block and more potentially affected through cuts to part-time staff.

If 100 roles are lost, it would be equivalent to 10 per cent of the organisation’s workforce. Zoos Victoria’s latest annual report said there were 998 employees as of June 30, 2025, up from 978 staff the year before.

Of these, 755 were full-time or part-time and 243 were casual. There were nine executives and 18 senior managers.

“This massive loss follows multiple years of poor financial management by Zoos Vic leadership,” Hanna said.

“Despite the scale of these cuts, workers have been given little information about which jobs will go. They are devastated and angry. This enormous uncertainty has tanked morale and presents a serious risk to staff mental health.

“Such deep cuts would affect all parts of zoo operations from animal care and conservation, to education and visitor services, with devastating flow-on effects.”

Hanna said Zoos Victoria also wanted to replace visitor engagement staff with self-service ticketing systems, with the staff remaining left with higher workloads and burnout risks.

“The zoo is a beloved public institution with a crucial role to play in global conservation and local emergency management – they work in an emergency response capacity after bushfires and floods to treat injured native wildlife,” Hanna said.

“Our members genuinely love their work. These cuts are an awful deal for the workers, and for families, tourists, schools and the animals.”

One source aware of Zoos Victoria’s considerations, who spoke anonymously to detail confidential discussions, said there were fears the cuts would include both operational staff and the wildlife and conservation units.

They said these conversations extended to the marine rescue unit, which was involved in 977 cases of assistance last year. Sources familiar with discussions said they were bracing for job losses in these areas.

The organisation has not detailed which roles are classified as frontline services and will not comment on a final number of redundancies because the restructure is still a proposal and not their final decision. However, they have said animal care and welfare will not be compromised.

In Zoos Victoria’s latest annual report, chief executive Dr Jenny Gray and board chair Rebecca McKenzie praised the organisation’s conservation efforts.

“At Zoos Victoria, our moral purpose to fight extinction and create a future rich in wildlife is more than a statement, it’s a shared commitment that binds our organisation, our community and the natural world that depends on us,” they said.

Their statement said that last financial year more than 3000 critically endangered Baw Baw frogs were released into the wild at Mount Baw Baw because of Melbourne Zoo’s breeding program.

At Cardinia Creek, 21 helmeted honeyeaters bred at Healesville Sanctuary were reintroduced to an area they had not inhabited for more than four decades.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell said if any jobs in the wildlife or conservation teams were on the chopping block, it would conflict with Zoos Victoria’s rhetoric to fight extinction.

“It is crucial that initiatives like the wildlife hospital and the Marine Response Unit are not impacted in any potential cuts,” she said.

“Zoos Victoria is the beneficiary of taxpayer funds, and the minister has an obligation here to step in and make his expectations known that no jobs or programs that seek to protect our wildlife are slashed.

“My office has reiterated to both Zoos Victoria and the minister just how important it is to keep these programs in place fully funded and adequately staffed.”

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