| | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41
“ When we were out for three or four days at a time , these would be really important because things might happen , and you couldn ’ t see each other to catch up . We would leave notes and send the occasional text or email just to say , ‘ here ’ s something you need to know ’ or ‘ everything is same old , same old .’ ”
Because we have to wait awhile for some of the farm animals ’ food ( ahem , Willie ’ s ) to finish settling in , it ’ s on to the next run . Fugate leads me into a building attached to an outdoor exhibit with a pool . Mishontoo , the river otter , is already waiting for us inside .
“ Otters eat both fish and meat ,” Fugate says as he opens a mini fridge and starts gathering ingredients , “ but they often need supplemental vitamins because the frozen fish we have loses those vitamins . So , Mishy here gets a vitamin E and a vitamin D supplement . Chances are , she gets enough from the meat , but better safe than sorry — especially because she is likely pregnant right now .”
He says it ’ s hard to know for sure just yet because otters experience delayed implantation . Though Mishy last bred in February , fertilized eggs don ’ t implant in otters ’ uterine linings for eight to ten months , meaning she could very well give birth to a litter in February , so part of Mishy ’ s training involves preparing her for future medical exams .
“ We work with her in what ’ s called protected contact : We have bars separating us . She is very tractable , but otters in general are not to be trusted . When they bite , they ’ re scary little animals ,” he explains . “ While we give her breakfast , we ’ ll go through a few maintenance behaviors .”
The first food-motivated task is ensuring Mishy is comfortable climbing up onto a platform and staying still while her weight is taken . The second is guiding her into a horizontal tube secured to the side of the bars . This exposes her side to the keepers and allows them to poke her gently with a screwdriver tip , desensitizing her to hypothetical vaccinations . The third requires her to wriggle up a vertical tube and expose her belly .
“ We have her hold this position a little longer because her fur is thick and we need to let the ultrasound gel penetrate . Stay . Touch ,” Fugate warns Mishy as he
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2021 137