Zoo’s Protocol Update - COVID-19

Posted On: Mar 15th, 2020

At this point in time, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will be following the protocols listed below:

We will remain open normal business hours 9 am-4pm through the weekend until Wednesday, March 18th. Coinciding with the closure of the schools, we will modify our procedures by stopping all encounters and other activities that create a concentration of guests in tight spaces. This will include stopping lemur, sloth, and kangaroo encounters, as well as, the giraffe feeding.

At the same time, all indoor exhibit spaces; i.e., the reptile building and the butterfly outpost will be closed until further notice.

We will close the interior of the contact barn. Guests will still be able to see the animals from the outside pens.

We will stop all keeper chats and small presentations around exhibits until further notice.

We will start making hourly presentations on the outdoor stage, as weather permits, presenting animals and information to our guests. This will allow our staff to be on the stage, separated from the guests, and allow the guests to self-separate as they feel necessary on the lawn.

Amusement rides (kiddie train, safari cars, zipline) will continue but with vigilance on wiping down the rides with disinfectant solution between riders. We have purchased a number of spray bottles to help facilitate this process.

We will put signs around the Zoo informing guests about our protocols. Some signs will also include the preventative information (please see below). This information will also be posted in the restrooms.

Zoo staff and volunteers are instructed to stay at home if they feel ill and/or present a fever.

The health, safety and well-being of our staff, guests, volunteers, animals and community is of utmost importance to us. Your senior management team has been and is closely monitoring the status of the COVID-19 virus. Out of an abundance of caution, and as recommended by CDC, we will be implementing additional sanitizing measures throughout the Zoo, including increased cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched places. Staff, volunteers and our guests are encouraged to frequently wash their hands. Signs will be placed in bathrooms and other areas outlining the basic ways in which one can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.

All of these protocols are subject to change depending on the progress of the COVID-19 situation. We will continue to re-evaluate the conditions and our protocols over the next two weeks to see how they may need to be altered and, hopefully, eliminated by April 4th.