- Title: The National Zoo in Washington D.C. opens after months of pandemic closure
- Date: 24th July 2020
- Summary: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (JULY 24, 2020) (REUTERS) LION STATUES OUTSIDE THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO WEARING MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZOO VISITOR, SHANNON MCMAHON, SAYING: "We are very excited. We have been waiting for the zoo to open for many months. We're members, so we jumped at the opportunity when they opened up for members for parking and all that." CLOSED ZOO GATE WITH HOURS POSTED BISON EATING GRASS FOR BREAKFAST CHILD READING SIGN AT BISON ENCLOSURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DR. BRANDIE SMITH, SAYING: "COVID is a zoonotic disease so we know it transmits back and forth between humans and animals, but this is what we do: we're a zoo, we know how to protect against zoonotic diseases. Something like avian influenza, or rabies, or swine flu, any of the things that you hear about we are always protecting against those. A lot of our keepers already were wearing masks to work with the animals and interact safely with them. None of these protocols are new, there's just more of them expanded across every species in the zoo." FAMILIES VIEWING SLEEPING GORILLAS GORILLA SLEEPING IN HIS NEST (SOUNDBITE) (English) SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO DIRECTOR, DR. STEVE MONFORT, SAYING: "Primate species, some of our great cats, and also a few species like ferrets and other species are especially susceptible, so to be absolutely safe we created social distancing between people and those animals. Animal keepers that work with those species are wearing N95 masks for those times when they are in close proximity." ZOO VISITORS WALKING ALONG LABELED PATH ZOO VISITORS AT RED PANDA ENCLOSURE WITH EXTRA DISTANCE BARRIERS SIGNS POINTING TO ANIMAL EXHIBITS STATUE OF A SLOTH BEAR WITH A BABY ON HER BACK BABY SLOTH BEAR STATUE VISIBLE OVER PATH BARRIER CLOUDED LEOPARDS PROWLING AROUND AND PLAYING IN THEIR ENCLOSURE FAMILY VIEWING CLOUDED LEOPARD CLOUDED LEOPARD PROWLING IN THEIR ENCLOSURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZOO VISITOR, ELISA BRAVER , SAYING: "We think we can go visit the outdoors safely at the zoo. Everybody's wearing face coverings, people are distancing physically, and the indoor exhibits are closed so this is a great form of outdoor recreation where we can get some exercise and get some enjoyment without risking ourselves and other people." VISITORS VIEWING FISHING CAT EXHIBIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZOO VISITOR, SHANNON MCMAHON, SAYING: "We would come to the zoo I think twice a month at least, we live close by. We loved seeing the animals, we loved the space for the kids to run around, so we were really missing it." ASIAN ELEPHANTS IN THEIR ENCLOSURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZOO VISITORS, SHANNON AND JAMES MCMAHON, SAYING: SHANNON:"It's been amazing. He was up at, what time? Six A.M. because he couldn't wait to see all his favorite animals." REPORTER ASKING (OFF CAMERA): "What are your favorite animals?" JAMES: "Pandas." SHANNON: "And what else? The cheetahs. He was very excited. he wants to see the cheetahs and the elephants." GIANT PANDA WALKING OUT OF THEIR HIDING SPOT
- Embargoed: 7th August 2020 19:22
- Keywords: CORONAVIRUS COVID OPENING RESTRICTIONS SMITHSONIAN USA WASHINGTON ZOO
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C. USA
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C. USA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Health/Medicine,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001CO66SLJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:With masked lions standing guard outside the Smithsonian's National Zoo people in Washington, D.C. can officially visit the animals again.
"We are very excited. We have been waiting for the zoo to open for many months. We're members, so we jumped at the opportunity when they opened up for members for parking and all that," said Shannon McMahon who was bringing her two small children to the park.
The national zoo remains free to the public but now requires passes reserved ahead of time online.
"COVID is a zoonotic disease so we know it transmits back and forth between humans and animals, but this is what we do: we're a zoo, we know how to protect against zoonotic diseases. Something like avian influenza, or rabies, or swine flu, any of the things that you hear about we are always protecting against those. A lot of our keepers already were wearing masks to work with the animals and interact safely with them. None of these protocols are new, there's just more of them expanded across every species in the zoo," said the zoo's deputy director, Dr. Brandie Smith.
The goal is to protect not just visitors from potential infection from each other, but any disease transmission between humans and animals.
"Primate species, some of our great cats, and also a few species like ferrets and other species are especially susceptible, so to be absolutely safe we created social distancing between people and those animals. Animal keepers that work with those species are wearing N95 masks for those times when they are in close proximity," said Dr. Steve Monfort, the zoo's director.
With its expansive paths now open to visitors some are taking the advantage of a palace to get their steps in safely with added entertainment.
"Everybody's wearing face coverings, people are distancing physically, and the indoor exhibits are closed so this is a great form of outdoor recreation where we can get some exercise and get some enjoyment without risking ourselves and other people," said visitor Elisa Braver.
For some parents having the chance to visit the zoo and see animals comes as a sigh of relief after being cooped up at home with their children.
"It's been amazing. He was up at, what time? 6 am because he couldn't wait to see all his favorite animals," McMahon said.
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