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Zoo Miami reopens to public following two-month closure

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Zoo Miami reopened to visitors Tuesday after being forced to re-close its doors on the Fourth of July.

“We feel relieved and a bit elated,” Ron Magill, of Zoo Miami, said. “This is a huge relief for us. We’re elated to see these people coming in. It’s a step in the right direction.”

The zoo was forced to close in July as COVID-19 case numbers spiked in South Florida.

But with the state now entering Phase 2 of its reopening, zoo officials decided to reopen most outdoor attractions, but not without changes.

“The first key thing is everybody has to wear a mask. Everybody 2 and above has got to wear a mask, and you’ve got to keep it on the entire time, except when you’re eating,” Magill said.

There will also be several new sanitizer stations set up throughout the park and visitors must purchase their tickets online.

Another change guests will notice are new floor stickers designed to remind guests to stand 6 feet apart while in line.

Zoo officials are also limiting the number of guests they let in each day.

“We encourage people to get their tickets online, because now we have a capacity limit as to how many people we let in per day,” Magill said.

Parents who spoke to Local 10 News on Tuesday said the new safety measures are not only welcomed, but reassuring, as well.

“As long as I think they’re taking precautions and safety, I think it’s a good thing,” Ophelia Gualtieri said.


About the Author
Trent Kelly headshot

Trent Kelly is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined the Local 10 News team in June 2018. Trent is no stranger to Florida. Born in Tampa, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he graduated with honors from the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

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