Monkey World has reopened to the public.

The park closed its doors in March, the week before Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the wider coronavirus lockdown restrictions across England.

At that time Monkey World director Dr Alison Cronin made it clear the “safety and wellbeing of our rescued monkeys and apes is, and always will be, our first priority.”

Then, mid-July the park reopened for adoptive parents only.

Now, in a statement on the Facebook page of the primate rescue centre, the wider public opening has been announced.

However, tickets are only available on a strictly pre-booked basis. – so don’t simply turn up thinking you’ll be able to get in.

There will also be a number of other precautions visitors need to take.

A park spokesman explained: “All visitors are required to wear a face mask/covering/visor when visiting to protect our wonderful rescued primates.

“We have now opened up afternoon entry slots from the 3rd August onwards, as well as the morning slots already available.

“Please do visit the website to book in, and read full reopening information, but we look forward to seeing you all at the park again.”

One of the most recent inhabitants at the park, near Wool, arrived just days before the coronavirus lockdown came into effect.

Kalu the chimpanzee had lived at Broadlands Stud, the South African estate of renowned racehorse trainer Pat Cavendish O’Neill.

Pat, who died last year, built up a menagerie of wild animals at Broadlands.

Kalu was kept at the stud farm in Somerset West, Cape Town, for more than 30 years following her capture from the wild in the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire.

Kalu also featured predominantly in O’Neill’s written memoirs, ‘A Chimpanzee in the Wine Cellar’.

At that time Dr Cronin said: “Despite not having contact with her own kind since she was stolen from the wild as a baby, Kalu is reacting calmly and happily to the attentions of the new group.

“It shows how much chimpanzees want and need to be with other of their own kind regardless of how long they have lived alone.

“This is the story of so many of our rescued chimps at the park.”

Visit monkeyworld.org for further details on booking a visit to Monkey World.