Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park reopened Sept. 3 for visitors and the park moved forward Sept. 19 with the second phase of its reopening plan.

The  phase includes opening of the Aquarium Gift Shop, the Flying Scooter Ride, Exotic Animal Carousel, the Mining Experience, the Congo Cooker Café and the return of the Wildlife Encounter Shows.

According to Kristy Morcom, the zoo's director of media relations, “The feedback from the community has been really positive! Everyone is grateful that we are able to provide a safe environment with plenty of fresh air and space to social distance and bring a little normalcy back to families that have been cooped up all summer”.

As the zoo moves into the second phase, it will maintain all safety measures and operational changes, including required masks for staff and visitors, informative signs throughout the zoo encouraging safety/social distancing, social distance ride seating, along with complete ride sanitation after every rider and dozens of sanitizing stations installed throughout the entire park.

The Sky Ride, African Tram, Safari Train, all Indoor Exhibits, the Petting Zoo, Giraffe Feeding Station & Stingray Touch Tank will also remain open. Wildlife World’s standards are subject to change based on recommendations from the state and federal public health officials.

With more than 6,000 animals, there are always new arrivals at Wildlife World. Some of the park’s newest additions on display include a baby capybara, red river hog and African blue duikers inside the Baby Animal Nursery, a young giraffe, penguin chick, young lemur, colobus monkeys, spider monkeys, olive baboon, capybara and several hoofed animal species, including a kudu, a baby zebra, baby goats and other youngsters throughout the 100-acre park.

Wildlife World’s keepers and veterinarians have raised dozens of species of wild and endangered animals over the past quarter century. Wildlife World strives to maximize genetic diversity in the zoological population with their breeding programs.

As a USDA-licensed, private institution, accredited by the Zoological Association of America and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums. Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park receives zero taxpayer funding.