Connecticut”™s Beardsley Zoo has announced it will reopen on June 1, with new protocols in place designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Bridgeport venue, which is the state”™s only zoo, will require all visitors except children ages 2 and under to wear masks and maintain 6-foot social distancing from other visitors. Tickets will only be available for online purchase and admission prices have been lowered to $15 for adults, $10 for children and seniors age 62 and over, and free admission for children under 3.
The zoo will operate in two sessions per day to allow a 50% visitor capacity, one from 9 a.m. to noon and the other from 1 to 4 p.m., with the midday hour closure being used for cleaning. Signs for a one-way loop will be posted around the zoo to minimize cross traffic. The zoo will not rent strollers or wheelchairs at this time, although visitors can bring their own.
All buildings will be closed to the public except for restrooms, which will be monitored and cleaned during the day. An online app will allow food orders for pick-up through a side window, and visitors can bring their own food. The zoo”™s gift shop will have an outdoor kiosk for purchases via an online app.
“The safety of our guests, staff and animals is our number one priority,” Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Director Gregg Dancho said. “We”™ve missed our guests and look forward to welcoming everyone back with confidence that we can all enjoy being outdoors and enjoying the beauty of animals and nature once again. We ask for everyone”™s patience as we work through our new requirements in an unprecedented environment.”
