This page : The binturong girls ,

Poppy and Thistle , munch on some yummy watermelon . Opposite : Mishontoo the otter balances a grape on her nose ; visiting children stop to say hello to the farm animals ; Little

Floof is the first flamingo chick to hatch at the zoo in twenty years ; a sign reminds visitors to maintain a six foot social distance .

Still , the Bronx Zoo ’ s experience set the zoo world a bit on edge . In turn , RWPZ took additional precautions with its cheetahs and snow leopards , limiting the proximity and time spent with keepers . Later , when COVID-19 infected and devastated a number of mink populations , the RWPZ staff started putting extra care into the handling of their ferrets ( a cousin species to the mink ).

Otherwise , the zoo soldiered on through lockdown . And while its Instagram page kept us all engaged with fun and creative updates ( see : elephant serenades and sloth story time ), everyone was more than happy to see its gates reopen .

“ We had started working on a reopening plan pretty much right away . We looked at what safety precautions Asia was taking , along with what other amusement industries like Disney were considering . We were constantly refining our strategy ,” Goodman says .

The original outline required temperature checks for all staff and visitors , created additional space for social distancing , kept indoor facilities closed , set up a one-way visitor flow and whittled attendance down to one-third of normal capacity limits .

“ We finally got the go ahead from the state to reopen in the beginning of June , which was great — we needed it ,” Goodman says . “ Northern zoos like ours , we only make money six months out of the year . We operate at a deficit the other six months . Had this all hit in November or January , it would have affected us minimally . But the fact that it hit our prime season was just devastating .”

Although many of the zoo ’ s events could be reinvented , the lack of on-premises happenings likewise delivered a rough blow , turning real events like the Zoobilee into virtual ones and the Jack O ’ Lantern Spectacular into a drive-through . Goodman says that although COVID has gotten everyone ' s creative juices flowing , everything is still a work in progress .

WHICH BRINGS US TO TODAY , an uncharacteristically warm morning in late 2020 when the virus is still alive and well . Before entering the grounds around 8 a . m ., I have my temperature taken and I ’ m asked COVID-screening questions ( no red flags here !). Fugate and I are masked up , and instead of shaking hands , we jokingly bump shoes . Our itinerary for the day involves me tagging along as he performs his “ runs .”

First up is prepping the farm animals ’ food . Willie , the zoo ’ s beloved twenty-five-year-old donkey , is on a weight-loss program . As Fugate fills a barrel of hay with water in the farmyard ’ s iconic barn , I learn soaking the hay for an hour leeches out the sugar — something Willie certainly doesn ’ t need . When I ask if Willie also put on the quarantine fifteen like the rest of us , Fugate laughs .

“ You know what , he might have actually lost a little . Visitors always try to sneak him treats , but most people don ’ t realize that they ’ re not the only ones . If 100 people come through here …. It ’ s a lot ,” he says . “ Between the zoo being closed and having fewer visitors , he hasn ’ t been getting as many treats . The farm is definitely one of the areas where the

38 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2021