San Diego Zoo And Safari Park To Reopen After Coronavirus Closure

SAN DIEGO, CA — The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are slated to reopen June 20 after shutting down for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both parks have been closed since mid-March. It was the first major closure in the 103-year history of San Diego Zoo Global.

"We're thrilled to once again welcome guests back to San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park for the first time in three months," said Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Global.

Before the official reopening to the general public, both parks will hold a series of Preview Days to recognize members and donors. The invitation-only events will begin Sunday.

"There's no better way to celebrate the occasion than to invite our faithful members and donors, who have been steadfast allies helping us by continuing to support our mission to save wildlife worldwide," Baribault said.

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The Zoo and Safari Park have made temporary changes to comply with guidelines outlined by local and state public health officials amid the pandemic.

Both parks will resume operations in stages that will start with limited dining and shopping experiences, according to zoo officials. The parks will reduce the number of guests on the grounds at a given time, increase the number of handwashing and sanitizing locations, maintain robust cleaning routines, add one-way path modifications and barriers, encourage face coverings and observe social distancing practices.

During the initial reopening phase, the Zoo's Guided Bus Tour, Kangaroo Bus and Skyfari Aerial Tram, as well as the Safari Park's Africa Tram will be unavailable, according to zoo officials. Activities that traditionally include larger numbers of guests, including some shows, tours and safari experiences, will also be temporarily unavailable.

"As the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park reopen to guests, it's true that we will be faced with a new normal," Baribault said. "However, within this new normal, I have no doubt we will be able to showcase our strength, our resilience, our dedication to community, and our continued mandate to save wildlife around the world."

Also see:

• California Coronavirus: Latest Updates On Cases, Orders, Closures
• Coronavirus In San Diego County: Latest News
• San Diego Zoo, Safari Park To Close Due To Coronavirus