Health care professionals were recognized and celebrated with a special “thank you” event today (June 19, 2020), after San Diego Zoo Global invited community health care heroes to enjoy a special preview day at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari before both sanctuaries open to the general public on Saturday, June 20.

After being closed to guests since mid-March, San Diego Zoo Global has announced that the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park will reopen to the general public on Saturday, June 20th., ending the first major closure in the conservation organization’s 103-year history.

Starting April 3, 2020, the San Diego Zoo is inviting anyone with a smartphone or computer to join a mission—if they choose to accept it—to virtually explore the wonders of wildlife by connecting to a myriad of delightful online happenings, including games, contests, livestreaming cams, videos, a dance party and much more.

For the next eight weeks, as part of San Diego Zoo Global’s effort to support the community during the ongoing pandemic, middle and high school teachers and students can gain access to 22 free, self-paced online courses covering a variety of taxonomic groups and individual animal species.