Thiruvananthapuram zoo opens after an eight-month break

Thiruvananthapuram: The City Zoo, a major tourist attraction in the Kerala capital, has reopened after being out-of-bounds for visitors during the last eight months as part of the pandemic-related lockdown. It was on March 12 this year that the zoo was closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

An interesting aspect of the reopening is that even though all the inmates of the zoo – animals, reptiles and birds - are the same as before the closure, the visitors sport an entirely new look. In other words, all people wishing to enter the zoo have to wear masks. Apart from making masks mandatory, the zoo authorities have also enforced social distancing norms on the premises.

As far as the inmates of the zoo are concerned, three new king cobras and two hog bears are expected to arrive next month.

Meanwhile, morning and evening walks have also resumed at the Museum Garden adjacent to the zoo.

The tourism sector in the southern state had been in doldrums following the outbreak of the virus and the global coronavirus scare. 

As part of the unlock process, the government had decided to open the tourism centres in the state in two phases.