Animal Enrichments
Animal enrichment is the practice of providing stimulating environments and experiences for Zoo animals in order for them to demonstrate behaviors natural to their species, to allow them more control over their environment, and to enhance their well-being.
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What is Animal Enrichment?
A large part of a Zookeepers’ daily challenge is to make sure their animals are behaving as they would in the wild. This means that the animals are interested in their surroundings, alert and even getting a little exercise. How? With a lot of thought and a little scheming on the part of the zookeepers! In a zoo setting, zookeepers must devise ways to recreate natural conditions. This part of animal care is called ANIMAL ENRICHMENT and it is widely practiced throughout the Zoo community.
Animal enrichment is a combination of many techniques. To encourage exercise,
a zookeeper might introduce an object that can be manipulated by the animal.
Small branches, hay, and browse are some natural tools but there are also
man-made devises such as boomer balls, tires, Kong toys, boxes, or pvc contraptions.
To encourage exploration, a zookeeper might change an animal’s habitat
in some way. They may add ropes, or a new log, or just move the ‘furniture’
around. Following a scent might be encouraged when a zookeeper introduces
a novel new smell such as spices or perfumes. Sometimes keepers use different
textures such as straw, blankets, or burlap to pique an animal’s curiosity.
Colors and mirrors work for visual stimuli. Of course, the most common form
of enrichment is food based, but when used as an enrichment, keepers need
to be a little creative. Sometimes food is hidden in nooks and crannies
around the animal environments for a surprise treat. Other times the regular
food diet might be spiced up with a dash of spaghetti sauce or maple syrup.
