The animals have probably been wondering what on earth’s been going on. No crowds coming to see them, it’s all been a bit quiet and rather dull. But from next week that all changes, the front gates are reopened and zoos are back in business. Keeper EMMA LAWRENSON takes us behind the scenes at Cotswold Wildlife Park. 

"The last three months have been a strange time and though our animals have continued to receive love and care from their keepers, many of them will be thrilled to see the return of visitors – particularly those whose favourite hobby is people watching!

Following last week’s update from the Government, zoos and safari parks across England - including here at Cotswold Wildlife Park - are now preparing to reopen their doors from the week of Monday, June 15, a date brought forward from the original plan of July 4.

This comes as excellent news for many, not least as the industry contributes a great deal to the UK economy and is also vital to education and conservation, as well as being a great day out - and boy, don’t we all need that!

But visitors will, understandably, notice some changes. 

Preparations for partial reopening in a ‘post-lockdown’ world include the installation of hand washing stations, one-way systems and the closure of inside areas such as reptile houses and restaurants, where social distancing would be difficult.

Zoos all over the country have voiced their concerns about the financial impact of lockdown. Running costs go into the thousands per day – a figure almost impossible to match without the contribution from visitors. 

Some venues, such as Chester Zoo, have received generous donations from the public, with over £2m raised from their ‘Save our Zoo’ campaign.

But it isn’t just the big zoos facing troubled times. A number of smaller organisations have feared they could close down altogether.

At Cotswold Wildlife Park, we have over 160 acres of outside space for our visitors to explore and we are delighted to be reopening our doors to the public from Wednesday, June 17.

We have, of course, made changes to the way we normally operate, including a cap on daily visitor numbers to sustain a lower, safer capacity.

Our indoor exhibits will remain closed to the public, as will our restaurant and gift shop until further notice.

During lockdown, it’s been business as usual, looking after the animals and the grounds. Being closed has given us the opportunity to carry out extra maintenance work that might otherwise be difficult, including the renovation of the otter enclosure.

Our Asian short-clawed otters, Ben and Rita, have moved into their new home and settled in immediately, tearing about the place and having what can only be described as a jolly!

The money zoos make from visitors goes straight back into caring for the animals, funding research, education and conservation projects all over the world.

When you go out for the day to see your favourite animals in a wildlife park, you are directly contributing to vital funds going towards conserving those species in the wild. 

If you are planning on visiting your favourite zoo in the coming weeks, remember to ‘stay alert’ and follow the guidelines to keep yourself and others safe.