The Curraghs Wildlife Park will reopen on Saturday.

But not everyone can go.

The park, which is in Ballaugh and is home to more than 60 species of animals and birds, closed to all visitors on March 23 because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Since then its animal keepers have kept people informed and entertained by sharing a series of animal talks online.

In the first phase of reopening, the park will welcome back its 3,000 members, who must book a time slot ahead of their visit so numbers can be monitored.

Members can book their arrival time online. They will then receive a free ticket which can be printed or saved to their smart phone and presented on arrival.

The park will also launch a new website this week which will contain further information for visitors.

People without internet access can call the Wildlife Park on 897323 to book a time slot as can anyone who wants to book a new membership or check their current one is still in date.

Anyone displaying Covid-19 symptoms, sharing a house with someone displaying symptoms or is required to self-isolate should not visit.

The park’s general manager, Kathleen Graham, said: ’We are doing everything we can to create a safe environment for our visitors, staff and animals. It has been a difficult time for everyone and we are all excited to reopen to our members.’

A number of safety measures have been introduced to manage how close people get to each other and to the animals.

The Mangrove café will be open for take-away food only and hand sanitiser stations have been created all over the park. The play areas will all remain closed at this time and will be reassessed in phase two which is under constant review.