We are delighted to announce that we will reopen to the public on Sunday 5 July, under new strict health and safety measures which adhere to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines. In reopening, our top priority is keeping our staff, our animals and our visitors as safe as possible.
Entry will be permitted by strictly pre-booked tickets only. Visitors must book their tickets in advance by calling us on 028 9077 6277 or booking online. All visitors must call us for a time slot to arrive in order to maintain social distancing. Those who arrive without booking an allocated time slot first will unfortunately be denied entry.
Visitors can visit the zoo during the morning from 10am to 1.30pm, with last admission at 11.30am. In the afternoon, booking is available from 2.30pm to 6pm, with last admission at 4pm. A maximum of 500 people is allowed within each session.
Visitors will travel through a new outdoor, one-way walking route which will reinforce strict social distancing. The outdoor route, also known as the “Belfast Zoo Outdoor Trek”, will be marked on a map which will be made available to all visitors. Hand sanitiser stations will be available throughout the site and there will be visible signage reinforcing physical distancing and hand-hygiene.
Some of the precautions we have taken include:
- Visitor numbers limited to 1000 per day
- All visitors must book tickets in advance and call our office for specific 15 minute entry time slots
- Visitors will have to follow a one-way system which will be marked clearly
- Floor markings illustrate 2-metre distances to manage queues
- Protective screening is in place at all contact points
- Many indoor animal areas remain closed
- Keeper talks and animal feeding times are temporarily unavailable
- Zoo café will offer takeaway options and contactless payment only
- Seating will be available around the perimeter of the one way system, and also at Treetop café.
- Hand sanitiser stations have been set up throughout the zoo site
Visitors will also have the chance to see our new arrivals who were born during lockdown. These include Ronan, an endangered Rothschild's giraffe calf, a Southern pudu and two Scottish wildcat kittens.
Zoo manager, Alyn Cairns, explained, “Our staff have been working round the clock to ensure that the zoo is safe for all our visitors and staff, and we hope though the zoo experience will be different from before, it will still be very enjoyable.” The zoo manager added: “We are delighted to be in a position where we can open our gates again after being closed for over three months, however we would ask visitors to show patience and understanding when booking and visiting, to allow us to safely adapt to this new normal”.
To book tickets please call us on 028 9077 6277.
For further information, please visit our Coronavirus update page, which lists some important Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).