A Mid Wales zoo says it may have to rehome or even put down animals because of a lack of funding.

Borth Wild Animal Kingdom closed its doors to visitors following the announcement of a UK-wide lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 300 animals are looked after at the zoo in Ceredigion, but owner Dean Tweedy said the day to day running costs are "astronomical".

He said: "Government grants are going to mean that nothing goes hungry, but it is going to be a struggle meeting all the other financial demands that come with running a modern zoo that provides high quality professional care for its animals.

"Easter would have been a particularly busy time for us and many of those funds we have missed out on were planned for much needed improvements to parts of our site.

"We need investment now so we can make those improvements ready for when we do open after restrictions are lifted."

Now the Welsh Conservatives is calling on the Welsh Government to set up a Covid-19 Welsh Zoos Support Fund to provide vital funding to zoos.

Andrew RT Davies MS, Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "This is a dire situation that the zoo finds itself in, but I’m afraid that zoos right across Wales are in the same precarious situation and desperately need support due to the profound impact of Covid-19.

“It’s outrageous that whilst the UK Government has taken action and given £14 million to support zoos in England the Welsh Government has still not followed suit.

“It is high time that the Welsh Labour Government listened to the plight of our zoos and introduce the much-needed fund.”

The zoo has faced problems in the past, including in 2017 when Lilleth the Eurasian lynx escaped and was shot dead after being found at a nearby caravan site.