Dublin Zoo has been given an 18 month extension to open its gates to visitors.
Dublin Zoo is due to close its doors at the beginning of 2020 after the zoo’s management team failed to meet a key demand for more security doors.
Dublish News reported on Monday that the zoo will open on July 30 at the latest, ending the zoo in a new era of innovation.
Dubbed the “Gumtree”, the gates will open at 6pm.
Dubliners will be able to visit the new gate to the zoo from 5pm until 6pm daily, with the last visitor at 7pm.
Zoo manager James Kelly said the gate will be “a beacon for people to go and see our animals, learn about the animals and the environment”.
Dublin’s new gate will feature a new, innovative approach to security, with glass-reinforced concrete, glass-covered doors, metal railings and CCTV screens.
Kelly said the gates are designed to provide “a sense of security” and are being funded by Dublin City Council and other partners.
Zoos around the world have faced similar problems in recent years, with more than a dozen countries closing their gates at the start of the year.
In January, the United Kingdom closed its doors after more than 60 years in operation.
In the US, the city of Detroit shut down after more of its animals died.
In 2018, the UK announced it would shut down its gates at least three years in advance of the 2020 World Cup.
In 2020, the US shut down all its zoos and aquariums after more animal deaths.
The opening of the new gates will allow for the zoo to expand its staff, which have increased by more than 400 people since 2020.
Dubliner David Jones said he had been waiting for the gates to open for over two years.
“I was going to come here every year but now I’m going to be able see my dogs and my pugs,” he said.
“Now I can finally go and meet my dog.”
And I can see my mum, and my mum can see me.
“The Dublin Zoo is Ireland’s largest zoo, with an estimated 2,000 animals.
It was established in 1922 and is one of the oldest zoos in the world.
Dubs Zoo is the oldest zoo in Ireland, with its opening date in 1925.