Money eating animals — police called in

Did animals at the Emperor Valley Zoo eat $11,000 in cash? The money was allegedly paid in cash to someone at the zoo by Tourism Industrial Development Company (TIDCO) for animals to be displayed at the Wet and Wild  Tourism Park which was held at the Centre of Excellence in August, but an investigation launched at the zoo, could not find the money.

President of the Zoological Society, Gupte Lutchmedial, yesterday confirmed that the money was missing and that a report had been made to the Fraud Squad. “How could TIDCO pay cash to someone and not follow proper accounting procedure, baffles me,” Lutchmedial told Sunday Newsday. “The matter has been reported to the police,” Lutchmedial said. The Zoological Society is responsible for the management and upkeep of the zoo. The missing money represented part payment for three Amazon parrots, three Blue and Gold Macaws, a Toucan, Howler monkeys, a crab eating racoon, a variety of bats, etc, food and the cost of setting up the display enclosures for the Tourism Park. One source said that it was possible that the animals had eaten the money.