Ryan CormierDelaware News Journal
Show Caption
When the coronavirus hit 2½ years ago, Barn Hill Preserve's mobile zoo education program was suddenly hobbled because crowds were a no-no.
Instead of bringing animals to schools and community events, the program got by with virtual meet-and-greets with the animals called "Zoo-m meetings." There were also "car safaris" with caretakers bringing animals right to car windows at the preserve and special events on the road, like at local breweries.
TRASH PICKER NO MOREWhy this 79-year-old former mayor is done picking up trash in his town
But then owner Josh Mueller decided to open his 4-acre plot to the public and offer unique animal encounters, and that's when things really took off. After lockdowns and isolation, apparently playing with socialized animals in small groups is quite the elixir.
In fact, business has tripled. Now you can do yoga with kangaroos hopping on your mat or spend a morning feeding breakfast to spider monkeys at the preserve, located about 5 miles west of Bethany Beach in Frankford.
But the most popular up-close-and-personal offering they have added are otter swims, which pair you with two Asian small-clawed otters in a climate-controlled, chlorine-free pool.
Maybe it's their cute little ears or expressive faces, but animal lovers have been lining up to splash with the species found in SouthandSoutheast Asia even though the price tops out at $300 on summer weekends.
Terri Stinger Corte of Edgewater Park, New Jersey, is one of those people.
She made a rare visit to Delaware in May to bring her granddaughter to swim with otters for her birthday. Corte joined in since she's an animal encounter enthusiast who has traveled across the country in search of interesting programs.
"It was so cool. Probably the best encounter I've ever done. I just love how they swim around and come right up to you," she said, adding that 45 minutes in the pool with otters was worth the cost. "If they made it $500, I would still do it."
Zach Bova, Barn Hill's brand manager, sees the reactions all the time when the little ones make their debut. And, boy, they are tiny: The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest of the 13 otter species, weighing less than 10 pounds.
"You can almost see people's hearts exploding with joy, then the otter starts climbing up on them," said Bova, adding that the park will expand into an undeveloped section of the property this winter, nearly doubling in size to 7.5 acres.
SATAN IN DELAWAREWilmington's Aubrey Plaza explains why her new show, 'Little Demon,' is set in Delaware
In addition to kangaroo yoga ($35), spider monkey breakfasts ($45), more generic guided tours with animal presentations ($20-$30) and encounter tours ($60) are also available. (A guided tour and encounter tour is included with the price of otter swims.)
The zoo also partners with local wineries for "Sippin' with Sloths" events, including Sept. 23 at Bordeleau Vineyards (3155 Noble Farm Rd., Eden, Maryland) at 4:30 p.m. and Sept. 28 at Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery (32512 Blackwater Road, Frankford) at 6:30 p.m.
This is the second summer that Barn Hill has been open to the public with the staff always thinking of new, inventive encounters to introduce, although Bova didn't have any hints of what's to come. They also still offer mobile zoo programs.
He said plenty of the otter-seeking customers say it's been a bucket list item to swim with an otter. And, no, Bova wasn't laughing when he said it.
DELAWARE GENOHow a member of Philadelphia's cheesesteak royalty ended up calling Rehoboth Beach home
"Believe it or not, yes," he said. "They said it's always been a dream or say they've always had a fascination with otters."
While Barn Hill draws customers from its home state, plenty of people have come from out of state, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York and even Ohio.
With a growing fanbase of 26,000 followers on Facebook, they will go big with their own "Brews & Roos" beer festival on Sept. 17 featuring kangaroos, live music, food trucks and beer from breweries such as Mispillion River, Burley Oak, Dogfish Head and more.
Go to barnhillpreserve.com for tickets.
Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and Twitter (@ryancormier).
Animals found at Barn Hill Preserve in Frankford
Aardvark
African pygmy hedgehog
Agile wallaby
Alligator snapping turtle
American alligator
American Peking duck
Asian small-clawed otter
Asian water monitor
Bactrian camel
Ball python
Bearded dragon
Bennett's wallaby
Blue-tongued skink
Brazilian three-banded armadillo
Chinchilla
Corn snake
Domestic goat
Dromedary camel
Eurasian eagle owl
Eurasian lynx
Huacaya alpaca
Lesser hedgehog tenrec
Red kangaroo
Red-footed tortoise
Rhea
Six-banded armadillo
Spectacled owl
Spider Monkey
Sulcata tortoise
Two-toed sloth
Watusi cow
