Nature isn’t the only dictator of rhythms in the zoo. Public attractions like ours depend on human flow: weekends, bank holidays, and, most of all, school holidays.

Summer holidays feel quite different this year- some children haven’t set foot inside a classroom since April. End of term farewells, proms, and the rush to freedom, simply haven’t happened.

Thankfully, lockdown easing means summer is still a time for families to enjoy getting out and exploring together- we’ve seen three generations meeting up for the first time.

It’s fantastic to see children letting off steam around the zoo, excitedly discovering new exhibits that have been built since they were last able to visit.

With fresh eyes, I saw our animals coming into their own as never before. Children’s joy at interacting with living, breathing creatures (not via a screen) was plain to see: bringing home-school learning to life.

A disrupted school year makes education through innovation and involvement, a cornerstone of our charity’s ethos, vital right now, while we plan for the return of school visits in the autumn.

During lockdown, myself and keepers Grace and Neil hosted virtual lockdown Q&A sessions with Ripley School in Lancaster.

These formed the basis of ongoing projects for the pupils, and forced us oldies to learn some new IT skills!

Realising the zoo is a social, educational, and exercise-rich resource for many families who may not be where they expected this summer, we’ve challenges for curious explorers, like quizzes, fossil rubbings and eye-spy trails.

We’re broadcasting rolling keeper talks on large TV screens, and the whole team love answering questions - I promise we don’t bite!

My heart swelled when I heard a little boy say: “This isn’t learning, it’s fun!”

I think, that’s how learning should be.

Thanks to the team’s hard graft, our dream to build and equip the zoo’s first onsite classroom has come to fruition. This will enable us to reach and engage so many young minds, and keep us out of the rain.

You just never know: skipping through the gates could be then next David Attenborough or Greta Thunberg!