URI’s Peckham Farm uses guard donkeys to protect its sheep and goats. The fearless donkeys stand up to coyotes and other predators, adopting the flocks of ruminants as their own.

But this spring, in a surprise development, the farm’s most recently acquired donkey created her own flock. Jenny, who must have been in the very early stages of her year-long pregnancy when she came to URI last year, gave birth to a baby in the early hours of April 24. By press time, no one had been able to get past the protective mom to discover the baby’s sex, so Jenny’s wobbly new offspring has yet to be named.

The animals are part of URI’s animal science and pre-veterinary programs.