LITTLE ROCK, Ark — Last year, the Little Rock Zoo director decided to start implementing winter hours for four months to try and alleviate some of the burden of budget cuts.
During those months, the zoo was closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to the public.
Little Rock Zoo Director Susan Altrui says the zoo saw some positive attendance, even though there were less days to visit.
"In the month of November, we were actually down a little bit in attendance, but we were actually up in attendance in the month of December," said Altrui. "We are actually crediting that to the weather. We had some very warm days in December."
The zoo hopes they won't have to make anymore cuts, especially with a light at the end of the tunnel: a new sales tax.
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Junior has proposed a one-cent sales tax that will benefit the zoo.If voters approve the tax, Arkansans could see a wholly renovated zoo.
"What we are looking at our things like a new giraffe habitat," said Altrui. "It's interactive features, like a feeding deck where the public would be able to feed giraffes, and a special events center where we could have nighttime events."
But if voters don't approve the sales tax the zoo could be seeing some major setbacks.
"I think the City of Little Rock is going to have to look at whether or not we're going to have an accredited zoo, said Altrui. "We have standards we have to maintain to be an accredited zoo and I don't think we will be able to meet those standards in the long run."