Visitors say goodbye to Oregon Zoo day before COVID-19 ‘freeze’

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    PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — Tuesday marked the last day for people to visit the Oregon Zoo before it temporarily closes due to new COVID-19 regulations.

Starting Wednesday, the zoo will be closed as part of Gov. Kate Brown’s newest restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus in the state.

The news comes just as the zoo was starting to sell tickets for its popular holiday-themed ZooLights event.

FOX 12 on Tuesday visited the zoo to speak with people squeezing in one last trip.

There were not a lot of people at the zoo when FOX 12 arrived, but there were a few people who wanted to visit the animals to say goodbye, at least for now.

The Oregon Zoo reopened to the public earlier this summer with fewer visitors and new rules put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the last couple of weeks, staff members have been busy preparing for ZooLights, saying they rely on the funding that the popular holiday festivity brings in.

This year, the zoo was planning to offer the traditional walk-through option with new safety guidelines and fewer people. Additionally, for the first time, there was also going to be a drive-through route to see the lights displays. For now, that is all canceled, as Multnomah County will be under at least a four-week freeze.

The zoo said it is still waiting to find out of the ZooLights drive-through experience will still be allowed. The zoo said it should have that answer soon.

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