ATASCADERO – After months of being closed, the Charles Paddock Zoo is excited to announce they will be re-opening to the public starting this Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

Hours will be daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. By following all State and County guidelines for re-opening, the Zoo will only allow 30-40 guests into the facility at a time, which will keep within the social distancing and safety guidelines.

Although the Charles Paddock Zoo has been closed, the dedicated staff members adjusted to comply with State and County orders related to COVID-19, and have been busy working behind the scenes to care for all of the animals and the facility. 

While physically closed, the Zookeepers have been coming up with innovative ideas to keep the members of the community and the Zoo’s animal residents virtually connected. Throughout the shelter-at-home, everyone could continue to learn more about, see, and enjoy their animal friends from anywhere at any time. 

Connecting the Zoo and the animals virtually was a fun activity that all residents could participate in while in the safety of their own home, and since it was such a success being able to connect virtually will continue! 

To support the Charles Paddock Zoo you can now book virtual tours, field trips, birthday parties, camps and Cub Club! To book one of these terrific programs, please visit the website at charlespaddockzoo.org, send an email to zooeducation@atascadero.org, or call (805) 461-5080. 

Everyone is encouraged to visit the Zoo’s website, Facebook, and Instagram pages to be entertained by the really fun and educational Zookeeper Video Series.