ZooTampa reopens to seniors Tuesday before full reopening Friday

TAMPA, Fla. - After being closed for over two months, ZooTampa is preparing to reopen to the public on Friday. Before their official reopening, they set Tuesday aside as a special day just for senior citizens to have a day at the zoo just for themselves.

The zoo has been closed since March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but senior citizens got the first glimpse of ZooTampa with modified operations and new guidelines, like temperature checks at the entrance and masks made available for everyone.

Right now, the zoo is limiting the number of guests to 50% of the usual capacity, which is about 2,500 people and encouraging social distancing.

Seniors who talked to FOX 13 News Tuesday said, overall, they felt pretty comfortable.

“There were spots on the floor that they had marked. Also, we took the train ride, and after each ride a crew member came on and sanitized everything, which I thought was wonderful. And the space was limited, they didn’t jam you onto the cars at all. Very highly thought out and executed,” Lillian Montalbano said.

The zoo’s community week will include a day for medical workers and their families on Thursday, and the official reopening Friday.

Zoo workers say anyone who wants to guarantee a spot before they reach capacity can make a reservation online. It’s not required but it is recommended.

For more information on ZooTampa’s new guidelines or to make a reservation, click here.