Highland Wildlife Park welcomes back first visitors after Covid-19 lockdown
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The Highland Wildlife Park is expected to enjoy its busiest day yet tomorrow since coming out of lockdown at the start of the week.
Some 444 visitors are booked in for the attraction by Kincraig and a further 202 on Sunday as part of the new ticketing arrangements required because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The gates at the wildlife park reopened on Monday after being closed for three months – and staff said they were thrilled to welcome back their first local visitors.
Those living within five miles of the site can return as part of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions being eased but there are guidelines to be followed.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns the park along with Edinburgh Zoo, has been desperate to get the public back over its threshold.
The charity has had to take out £5 million in Covid-19 support loans to keep ticking over – including of course caring for its animals – since having to shut the two attractions in March due to the virus.
A RZSS spokeswoman said: “We had 136 people booked in for the first day on Monday and they all seemed very happy to be back. There were 212 visitors booked in for today and in addition to the weekend figures we have 231 visitors coming on Monday."
A number of changes have been introduced at the wildlife park site including one-way systems and signage to ensure visitors are kept safe during their visit.
Daska Mackintosh, head of operations and visitor services, said: “We were really excited to be able to welcome visitors from the local area to enjoy our large, outdoor spaces and say hello to the animals they love.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve been working non-stop to get the park ready and make sure visits will be as safe as possible.
“With a wide range of measures in place to protect our visitors and our staff, it may feel a little different at first, but we hope just as much fun.
“Safety comes first and it’s important everyone follows the rules to protect themselves and others. This means taking responsible decisions on how far to travel.”
She said perhaps the biggest change to ‘business as usual’ is asking everyone to book online in advance before arriving at the park, including members and annual pass-holders.
Ms Mackintosh explained: “This is the only way we can make sure to keep visitor numbers at safe levels and remain in line with government guidance.”
The RZSS said it had been a very difficult period and remains so. The spokeswoman commented: “These are still very challenging times and we are so grateful for the support and patience we’ve received from our community.
“Even though we are now open again, three months with no visitor income has left our charity in an incredibly difficult position because we have had to borrow millions of pounds. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed to our animals’ monthly food bill, no matter how small.”
