NEW DELHI: The Delhi zoo will reopen for visitors from August 1, over three months after it was shut due to a surge in coronavirus cases during the second wave of the pandemic, officials said on Monday. The zoo was earlier closed for more than a year due to the first wave of coronavirus and bird flu. It was reopened for visitors on April 1, only to be closed again on April 15 due to the resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We are planning to open the National Zoological Park (Delhi zoo) from August 1. (We are) preparing for things to be in order. It will be in two shifts as earlier. Online booking will open from July 31," zoo Director Ramesh Pandey said.
Visitors can buy tickets online either on the zoo's website or at the entry gates using QR codes.
The zoo will operate in two shifts. The first shift will be from 8 am to noon and the second will be from 1 pm to 5 pm.
The zoo administration has also introduced cycles for staff and asked them not to use bikes or cars inside the premises.
Pandey said the zoo recorded only 124 animal deaths, the lowest in the last three years, while it remained closed for public in 2020-21.
There are 94 species and 1,162 animals in the zoo at present, he said.
"We are moving towards having 100 species soon," he said.
