It was a long and beautiful relationship. Together, over the decades, they watched the kids grow up, hosting birthday parties, sleepovers and summer camps. But now, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Friends of The National Zoo are splitting up.

“It was very sad and difficult decision,” says Lynn Mento, executive director of FONZ.

The group has been the zoo’s official nonprofit partner for the past 63 years, fundraising to support the zoo and running many of its public-facing services, including operating the gift shops, greeting visitors, running the membership program, and providing education programs and summer camps for kids. But now, that long relationship is the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it caused.

The zoo has been closed to the public for most of the pandemic, though it was open with limited capacity from late July through late November. That closure caused revenue to plummet, says Mento. FONZ laid off 80% of its staff, and drew on reserves to stay afloat.

“We forecast out for the next 12 months, we were looking down the barrel of about a $2 million loss. It just became untenable,” says Mento. The zoo itself is facing a $15 million budget shortfall.

“Both organizations are committed to a seamless transition of the responsibilities FONZ has held for Zoo visitors and members,” said zoo officials in a statement. The split will allow both groups to focus on “mission-critical aspects of their work and sustain the financial health of their organizations,” according to the statement.

As for how the breakup will affect zoo-goers, Mento says that remains to be seen, but she hopes visitors won’t notice any change when they’re allowed back. The zoo plans to start its own membership program, absorbing current FONZ members, and to take over operation of the retail stores.

“I think the the zoo feels that they can do some of the operations that FONZ has been doing on their behalf in a more cost efficient way,” says Mento. “We are their friends. And so we wanted to work together on what was best for the zoo and best for the community and best for conservation.”

One thing that won’t be coming back, at least this year, is the popular summer camp program that was run by FONZ on the zoo grounds. “Snore & Roar” overnights are also off, as are birthday parties as well as programs for home school groups.

FONZ was founded in 1958, when retired zoo director Willliam Mann wrote a $50 check, and made himself the group’s first member. The original focus was on raising money for much-needed repairs at the zoo. Over the years, FONZ supported the zoo’s conservation efforts as well — among the first, raising $5,000 from members in 1967 to study elephants in Sri Lanka. In 1975, FONZ played a key role in purchasing 3,150 acres of pastures in Front Royal, Va., — now home to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. In 2007, FONZ launched the first annual ZooLights, which has since become a popular holiday tradition.

So, what will Friends of the National Zoo become, if no longer friends with the zoo? “That name is our legal name, so of course, we have to continue holding onto that for a while,” says Mento. “But we are not envisioning that our future holds that name.”

But she says the new incarnation of the group — Ex-Friends of the National Zoo? Former Friends? Frenemies? — will still have the same mission. “For 63 years, we’ve been committed to a mission of saving wildlife and helping to educate children — the next generation of conservationists,” Mento says. “The planet needs that now, more than ever.”