Shenzhen Safari Park will reopen for a trial period Monday (March 15) after being closed for 42 days.

The park management anticipates full reopening to the public on Mar. 28.

From Monday to April 15, all adult visitors will be given a 50 percent discount on the 100-yuan admission, and all children from 1.1 to 1.4 meters in height will be offered a 75 percent discount on admission.

The safari park was closed to the public on Feb. 2, the day after the city government learned of the unexplained deaths of dozens of black swans at the zoo. The Ministry of Agriculture lifted the quarantine on the safari park Tuesday after it was confirmed that the H5N1 deadly strain of bird flu, which caused the death of the black swans, had been eradicated.

"In fact, during the period of closure, there were still many visitors from the city and other places in the country coming to the zoo every day," said Huang Xianda, public relations officer with the zoo.

"Only when they got to the gate did they find they were not allowed to enter the park," Huang said.

"These kinds of visitors are increasing daily especially after the quarantine on the zoo was lifted on March 8. This has motivated us to consider reopening the park to public as soon as possible," Huang said.

More than 600 workers have completed the third vaccination of almost 10,000 animals and birds for the third time at the park.

"We've made all the necessary preparations to receive visitors again and we'll take all possible measures to keep all visitors safe," Huang said.

(China Daily March 17, 2004)