Coronavirus: Zoos have 'renewed hope for survival' - with some selling out of tickets
Top animal attractions still face a "long and uncertain" future as they take the first step towards rebuilding their finances.
Monday 15 June 2020 17:31, UK
Zoos have said they have "renewed hope for survival" - with ticket sales surging after they were allowed to reopen.
Safari parks and zoos have been welcoming back visitors for the first time since lockdown measures were introduced in the UK on 23 March due to the coronavirus outbreak.
But officials at some of the UK's top attractions still warned about a difficult road to recovery, admitting it will be "long and uncertain" as they try to bridge the financial hole left by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chester Zoo, the UK's biggest such attraction which is home to 35,000 animals, said tickets had sold out for the rest of this month as they reported their busiest-ever day for online bookings.
Monday saw staff greet up to 3,000 visitors as safety measures meant capacity at the 128-acre site was reduced. In "normal times", the zoo would see about 12,000 people on a busy day in June.
Jamie Christon, the chief operating officer at the Cheshire-based site, said: "A week ago we were in despair, not knowing when we would reopen, or if we could even survive if our gates had to remain closed for much longer.
"But the unwavering support of the public, our members, those MPs who listened to us and backed our corner, and our global community has completely humbled us. It's wonderful that, together, we have been heard.
"This isn't over just yet, though. There's no denying that the zoo has suffered severe financial damage over the past three months and the road to recovery will be long and uncertain.
"However, as we start to safely welcome back visitors through our gates - albeit in much, much fewer numbers - we now also start the process of rebuilding this great charity zoo. We now have renewed hope that we will survive."
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) runs the London and Whipsnade zoos and said online tickets had sold out after "amazing support" from the public.
It has been limiting the number of visitors to its London site to 2,000 people - and staff said they were "so excited" to be welcoming the public back.
Zookeeper Daniel Simmonds, said: "It's been a really surreal, and quite anxious, time at the zoo without visitors on site, but we are all so excited that our efforts have paid off.
"The demand for tickets was so high on the day they went on sale that our website had a bit of a wobble, but it's all fixed now."
Kathryn England, the chief operating officer for ZSL London, added: "While the reopening news is certainly worthy of a big celebration, it's not the end of our fundraising efforts yet.
"The increased safety measures mean London Zoo will be limited to just 2,000 visitors a day - well below the numbers needed to recoup the charity's lost income, so we really hope that we'll continue to receive the amazing support from the public we've seen so far."
Other zoos across the country also reported healthy online sales. Twycross Zoo said all available tickets for entry had sold out for the rest of this week.
Visitors are also being given a time to arrive at the Leicestershire site so staff can help manage social distancing measures.