Edinburgh Zoo - Open Again
28th March 2001
Issued by Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo to re-open
- Risk assessment allows safe re-opening
- Precautionary measures will be in place
- Zoo celebrates after five weeks of closure
Scotland's national zoo is delighted to announce that
it is able to re-open its doors to visitors on Wednesday 4 April.
This follows the completion of a comprehensive risk assessment,
which has the full approval of its veterinary advisers, who have
been consulting with the government's advisers in MAFF. The re-opening
is in line with the 'Comeback Code' endorsed by the Scottish Executive.
Precautionary measures

The risk assessment takes into account many different
factors, including the proximity of confirmed and suspected cases,
and sets out the biosafety procedures which the Zoo must follow
in order to minimise the risk to its animal collection. These procedures
include:
- Disinfectant foot mats for all visitors
- No vehicles allowed into the Zoo
- No picnics allowed into the Zoo, and no food other than factory
wrapped confectionery
The usual prohibitions on feeding or touching the animals
will be strictly enforced.
In addition, visitors who have been in contact with
farm animals or horses, or who have been in an area of suspected
or confirmed infection in the past five days, will be asked not
to enter the Zoo. The situation will be kept under constant
review, and the Zoo will remain in close liaison with its vets and
the MAFF advisers.
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The Zoo's Director, Prof. David Waugh, in announcing
the re-opening, said:
"We are so grateful to the public, and our members, for their
patience and support during this very difficult time. The safety
of our animals has been our main concern, and we are delighted that
our vets agree that we can re-open the Zoo - with the appropriate
precautions in place. The Zoo has been strangely quiet during this
period of closure, and we are looking forward to welcoming our visitors
back. We can promise them a good day out, with a new children's
play area due for completion very soon, a brand new catering service,
and of course this fine collection of wonderful animals."
Celebrations planned

To celebrate the re-opening of the Zoo, and to compensate
for some animals being out of view to the visitor, there will be
a programme of additional activities during the Easter holidays,
including free facepainting, bouncy castle and lots of other fun
activities.
Animals out of view include the peccaries, babirusa
and oryx, but all the favourite species will be fully on view, including
the penguins, gorillas, chimpanzees and tigers.
further info Amanda Alabaster, Head of Marketing
0131-314 0311
Editors' notes

Closed for five weeks
The Zoo has been closed - voluntarily - since 26 February, to protect
its animal collection against the possible transmission of Foot
and Mouth disease.
The animals have no commercial value, but they are
important for their conservation and educational value.
Vulnerable species
Certain species are vulnerable to this disease, so barriers will
ensure that the visitors are kept at a safe distance. These species
include the pig related species, the peccaries and babirusa, and
all the antelope and deer species including the endangered Arabian
and scimitar-horned oryx, along with the giraffes, lechwe, pudu
and tapir.
The Highland Wildlife Park
The Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore, has carried out a similar
risk assessment, and is planning to re-open on Friday 6 April.
Charitable status
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a charity registered
in Scotland, number SC 004064, and receives no core funding from
government funds.
Funding
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland relies almost entirely
on visitor admissions and membership subscriptions, supplemented
by sponsorship and legacies, to fund its conservation and education
objectives.
Compensation
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns and runs Edinburgh
Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, has applied to the Scottish
Executive for financial compensation for the loss of income incurred
since closure of both sites.
For the month of March, the Society has lost income
of £170,000.
Zoo opening hours
Edinburgh Zoo is open every day from 9.00am, and from April-September
it closes at 6.00pm. Telephone 0131-334 9171 for prices and other
information.
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