Dublin Zoo re-opens today under new health and safety protocols

Dublin Zoo announced it will reopen to the public today!

The zoo will open in a reduced capacity and under new strict health and safety protocols. Tickets to attend Dublin Zoo must now be pre-booked online in advance, solely via the Dublin Zoo website. Tickets will not be sold at the the zoo gate. Visits will be divided into two daily sessions, one morning and one afternoon, with a maximum of 500 people in each for an initial trial period.

Dublin Zoo is initially limiting its daily allowance of visitors to two daily slots with 500 hundred people maximum in each session, less than 10 percent of usual capacity at any one time. The morning session will run from 9.30 -13.00 and an afternoon session from 14.00-17.30.

Visitors will travel through Dublin Zoo by following a new outdoor, one-way walking route which reinforces strict social distancing. The outdoor route, also known as the Dublin Zoo Outdoor Safari Trail, will be noted on a map which will be available to all visitors.

Hand sanitiser stations will be available and there will be visible signage reinforcing physical distancing, hand-hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette. A new, enhanced cleaning regime has also been implemented and all Dublin Zoo personnel will be provided with, and trained in the safe and appropriate use of, relevant Personal Protective Equipment.

Speaking on the reopening of Dublin Zoo for the first time since March 12, Director of Dublin Zoo, Leo Oosterweghel said: "We are pleased to announce that Dublin Zoo will reopen its doors on June 2nd, 2020 under new stringent health and safety protocols. As we approach this new chapter of our history with cautious optimism, our priority during this reopening phase will be to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, visitors and the continued provision of world-class animal care. This will be a careful, phased reopening where we limit the number of entrants at any given time whilst establishing strict social distancing and hygiene measures, to protect both Dublin Zoo visitors and staff."

 "It is important to stress that this is a trial period for Dublin Zoo and patience and understanding will be required from visitors as we navigate our new pre-booking system, two daily opening sessions and one-way walking route. We have worked hard to ensure Dublin Zoo can once again reopen to the public, but health and safety come first, and we ask all visitors to bear that in mind when coming to see us. We would also like to strongly advise anyone considering a visit to Dublin Zoo that they check current government travel restrictions to ensure they are abiding by them. We look forward to welcoming visitors once again to Dublin Zoo," he added.

To ensure strict social distancing and new public health guidelines can always be adhered to at all times in Dublin Zoo, internal animal houses and enclosed habitat viewing areas, retail units, and playgrounds will be closed to the public until further notice.

Due to enclosed habitat viewing areas, visitors will not be able to see the wolves, hippo, Waldrapp ibis, Amur tigers and the red pandas. However, visitors will be able to see the majority of the animals including the herd of Asian elephants, chimpanzees, the Western lowland gorillas, giraffe, rhino, zebra, sealions, penguins, lemurs, orangutans, and lions.

Educational tours and classes will also not take place during this time.

To book your tickets, or for further details on how visitors can prepare themselves for their visit to Dublin Zoo and what to expect, please visit www.dublinzoo.ie.  Before booking a ticket to attend Dublin Zoo, please check that you are adhering to current Government travel restrictions.