Zoo Negara to reopen on Friday (March 5)

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Zoo Negara will reopen its doors to the public on Friday (March 5) and is offering a 20% discount on ticket prices for that day only.

Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly @ Rahmat Ahmat Lana said the National Security Council (NSC) had given it permission to reopen and that it would implement a strict standard operating procedure (SOP) by limiting the number of visitors to 2,500 at any one time from 9 am to 5 pm.

"We are actually concerned that if the national zoo is not open, we will have problems, ” he said at a press conference here on Wednesday (March 3).

He said Zoo Negara had received over RM11 million from government agencies, non-governmental organisations, volunteer bodies and individuals throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, adding that it would be used to purchase food and medicine for the animals as well as for operating costs.

Rosly, who expects the funds to last until April, later released 500 kilogrammes of rohu fish and 400 kilogrammes of African catfish into the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Lake, which sits in the middle of Zoo Negara.

He added that another 500 kg of patin fish would be released next week.

Zoo Negara allows 70 to 90 anglers to try their luck fishing at the lake from 9 am to 3.30 pm daily at RM35 per person. However, any fish weighing more than 10 kg has to be released back into the lake. - Bernama