Listen: Inside the Bronx Zoo as COVID-19 hit

Episode 33 of "Life Under Coronavirus" goes inside the Bronx Zoo, which just announced this week that it will be reopening at the end of July after months with no visitors. (click/tap to listen)

Hear from zoo director Jim Breheny, who has worked at the zoo since age 14. The pandemic was a challenging time for the zoo, which stocked up on food and worked hard to keep workers and animals healthy. It also was home to some interesting sights, like bears and giraffes, and other animals suddenly interested in viewers: “When we would go to exhibits and we would go to look at animals,” says Breheny, “we'd find that the animals would actually stop what they were doing and look at us because all of a sudden it was novel to have somebody there watching them.”

Hear from nurses, truck drivers, food donors and more in other episodes of "Life Under Coronavirus" available at newsday.com/lifeundercoronavirus or wherever you listen to podcasts.

By Mark Chiusano

mark.chiusano@newsday.commjchiusano

Mark Chiusano is a member of the Newsday editorial board.