Zookeepers across England get animals ready for parks to reopen next Monday

Zoos across England are preparing their animals for the big reopening next Monday with many newborns set to meet the public for the first time after being born during the third lockdown. Keeper Poppy Tooth gives pygmy goats extra attention during lockdown at London Zoo as it prepares to open next Monday Keeper Martin Franklin cleans Penguin Beach at London Zoo as the park gets ready for the big reopening next week Zookeepers sweep the goat walk at London Zoo which is already sold out for the first week as it reopens next Monday Zookeeper Dan Simmonds wears a mask and gloves to take delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables for primates at London Zoo Social distance markers are laid out at London Zoo which reopens next Monday, with tickets already sold out for the first week London Zoo workers Eddie Donovan and Jamie Turner measure out two metres to help with social distancing at the site Three one-way routes have been implemented around the zoo which will help with maintaining social distancing London Zoo is set to become one of the capital's first major attractions to reopen after being closed during the third lockdown - and the first week is already sold out, with tickets now only available from April 19. England's biggest zoos by annual visitor numbers Chester Zoo 2,086,785 ZSL London Zoo 1,157,076 Longleat Safari & Adventure Park 1,011,314 Colchester Zoo circa 1,000,000 Yorkshire Wildlife Park 841,934 ZSL Whipsnade Zoo 732,672 Bristol Zoo Gardens 512,934 Paignton Zoo Environmental Park 427,080 Needham Lake and Nature Reserve 379,600 Wild Place Project 317,031 Dudley Zoological Gardens 311,219 Bocketts Farm Park 285,932 N ational Marine Aquarium 272,301 Ogden Water Country Park 270,000 WWT Slimbridge 261,751 Godstone Farm 238,660 Banham Zoo 229,935 WWT Martin Mere 192,443 WWT London 190,206 Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park 165,000 Data from VisitEngland for 2019 The park is also only accepting contactless payments including debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, while it has placed hand sanitizer and handwash stations at regular points around the site. Zookeeper Kate Sanders prepares food for the animals at London Zoo as staff continue to look after various species Ede the okapi, born in September 2020 at London Zoo, and December newborn Margaret the giraffe, named in celebration of the UK's first coronavirus vaccine recipient, 91-year-old Margaret Keenan Zookeeper Glynn Hennessy prepares breakfast for the gorillas at London Zoo as life continues there during lockdown Keepers maintain social distancing on site at London Zoo as they take food to feed the animals under their care Staff at London Zoo have placed hand sanitizer and handwash stations at regular points around the site to help with hygiene London Zoo has faced huge losses while closed during the pandemic but is finally set to open again next Monday At Colchester Zoo, which will also reopen next Monday, bosses have imposed restrictions on the number of visitors allowed in per day to ensure they can comply with social distancing measures. Mammal keepers Lauren Cleeves and Beth Rae look forward to welcoming visitors back to Bristol Zoo next Monday Bristol Zoo mammal keeper Imogen Callender checks a South American fur seal's flipper before the park reopens Bristol Zoo bird keeper Sophie Chun feeds the African Penguins at the site before it reopens next Monday Carmen Solan, the senior invertebrate keeper at Bristol Zoo, changes fruit offerings for weaver ants ahead of its reopening A camel is brushed and fed by a zookeeper at Banham Zoo in Norfolk ahead of its reopening next Monday Renovation works are currently taking place across Banham Zoo including at the tiger enclosure, which is being upgraded • Retail assistants fill shelves in the Banham Zoo gift shop ahead of the site in Norfolk reopening next Monday Saki monkeys are among the newborn species at Blackpool Zoo as it prepares to reopen to visitors next Monday A wallaby joey has also been born during lockdown at Blackpool Zoo and will meet the public for the first time next week Four Asian small-clawed otters, who are the smallest otter species in the world, have also been born at Blackpool Zoo A red titi monkey and Spider monkey have also been born at Blackpool Zoo during the Covid-19 lockdown Holly Simms tests out the Carousel ride at Wicksteed Park in Kettering this morning in preparation for it reopening next week South Parade Pier at Southsea in Hampshire is closed today, pictured, but will be among the venues hoping to reopen soon The rule of six or two households meeting outdoors will apply at the park and visitors will be asked to follow social distancing guidelines, on-site signage and make use of the hand sanitising points throughout the zoo.