KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 10

The Central Zoo in Jawalakhel has reopened after eight months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visitors must follow health safety guidelines inside the zoo as the risk of infection still persists, said Dr Chiranjibi Pokharel, chief of the zoo management.

Visitors are required to wear face masks and they are not allowed to eat there or feed the animals inside the zoo. Likewise, the number of visitors inside the zoo should not exceed 800 and a person can spend only up to two-and-a-half hours inside the zoo.

There are a total of 1,068 animals of 110 species in the zoo. It also houses 15 of 38 rare animals said to be on the verge of disappearance from Nepal.

Entry fee is Rs 750 for foreigners, Rs 500 for people of SAARC countries, Rs 150 for Nepali people and Rs 90 for Nepali students and senior citizens.

Approximately 1.1 million people visited the zoo annually, from which Rs 150 to Rs 160 million was collected in entry fees last year. Visitors can book tickets online, relieving them of having to stand in a queue for hours.