budget will mean severe cuts here at the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium , '' the zoo director says . `` Next year , all 76 zoos , botanical gardens and aquariums in the state will lose all of their state funding . There is no easy way to say this : Even though you bring record numbers of people to New York and help the economy , we are going to have to let you go . '' Firing a porcupine and a frog may be a cute way to get publicity for their budget woes , but it 's a serious matter and zoo officials say the recession will certainly affect the animals . Zoo officials say some collections with `` short life cycles '' will not be replaced when they die , and other animals could be sent to other zoos or wildlife sanctuaries . The state of New York funds just 2.7 percent of the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium 's budget , but zoo officials say it will be difficult to make up . Between the state budget cuts , the loss in the value of their endowment and fewer people
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Layoffs for sea lions ? Furloughs for frogs ? Is there no job security , anywhere ? State budget cuts mean New York 's 76 zoos , botanical gardens and aquariums will lose $ 9.1 million in funding . The recession may be coming to a zoo near you . State budget cuts mean many zoos , aquariums and botanical gardens will lose crucial state funding for their exhibits . New York 's 76 zoos , aquariums and botanical gardens will lose $ 9.1 million in state funds next year . `` We 're faced with this very difficult problem of firing the animals , as it were , '' said Steve Sanderson , the CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society , which manages the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium . They will lose $ 3 million to budget cuts . The Bronx Zoo has made a short video posted on its Web site www.bronxzoo.com / to draw attention to the cuts . In the video , the zoo director fires a porcupine and a frog . `` I am sure you have heard that Gov. -LSB- David -RSB- Paterson 's proposed