Perth Zoo has reopened for the first time since its COVID-19 shutdown in March.
While its expansive outdoor environment means there is no capacity limit for the zoo, visitors will need an online reservation and pre-purchased ticket to ensure there is no cash handling at the zoo entry.
The system also provides a mechanism for contact tracing by health authorities if required.
Minister for the Environment, Stephen Dawson said one of the features of the shutdown had been a ‘baby boom’ at the zoo.
“This includes a Javan Gibbon baby, two squirrel monkey babies, otter pups, emperor tamarin infants and more than 50 western swamp tortoise hatchlings,” Mr Dawson said.
“Perth Zoo holds a very special place in people’s hearts so its reopening to the public is a cause for celebration.”
He said many people in the community had greatly missed coming to the zoo and he was told “many of the zoo animals have missed the public”.
“Our zoo sits on an expansive 19-hectare site and is a safe open-air environment for families to reconnect with nature, keep children engaged and active and de-stress after what has been an anxious time for many,” the Minister said.
“While the zoo has been closed, our dedicated zoologists and horticulturists have been tending to the 1,300 animals that call Perth Zoo home and also the botanic estate, ensuring that the zoo is ready for the return of guests,” he said.
