Toronto 
Credit: Toronto Zoo
Visitors to Toronto Zoo will be able to go on a Safari from the comfort of their cars very soon. African Lion Safari located in Hamilton offers drive-through experience from late spring to fall.
A spokeswoman for the zoo says a “pre-booked driving route” will allow visitors to see the animals from “the comfort and safety of their own vehicle.”
She says visitors will travel along a 3.4-kilometre route through the park.
Pivoting to drive-thru is one of numerous options zoos and aquariums are eyeing as they figure out how to safely reopen now that the spread of COVID-19 is slowing across much of Canada.
Toronto Zoo can easily convert to a drive-through experience as roads through the zoo are quite wide. Additionally, during the pre-pandemic days, the only way for the zoo visitors to see animals like Przewalski horse up close was by riding Zoo mobile. The additional $8 tickets provided exclusive access of “Eurasia drive-thru”.
The executive director of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums says the organization’s members are also looking at providing masks to visitors and having them walk along a predetermined route.
Jim Facette says roughly two-thirds of accredited zoos and aquariums have made use of government assistance, and this week’s federal announcement on help for the tourism sector is expected to bolster the industry.
But zoos have also had to make some compromises, including asking for donations from the public to make sure they can feed their animals while continuing conservation work.
A leader in conservation efforts, the zoo recently welcomed a baby Madagascar spider tortoise, arctic pups and a Masai giraffe cub.
And the Calgary Zoo announced this week it will be returning two giant pandas on loan from China because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused problems with getting enough bamboo to feed them.
— With Files From The Canadian Press
