Environmental Enrichment
© Nashville Zoo
Enrichment Results in Bond Between Aquarist and Stingray
June 23, 2017
Enrichment and animal training resulted in a bond between a cownose stingray and an aquarist at Phoenix Zoo.
Chester Zoo's Jaguar Plays With Enrichment Toy!
February 01, 2017
Sunny day can only mean it's time to play, and Chester Zoo's jaguar certainly seems to be having fun with its enrichment toy.
Enrichment for rhinos!
January 13, 2017
Lee Richardson Zoo has created an interesting enrichment device for their male black rhino.
Enrichment Suggestions For Captive Cheetahs
December 14, 2016
A list of enrichment ideas for captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) has been created by Cheetah Outreach.
Sensory Enrichment for Tigers!
November 11, 2016
This tiger at Auckland Zoo was given some enrichment toys and spices like cinammon and ground clover.
Pumpkin fun for Asian Elephants!
October 26, 2016
The herd of Asian elephants at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo have enjoyed a special Halloween treat - PUMPKINS!
Japanese Zoo Builds 65-Meter-Long Pool For Their Elephants
July 19, 2016
Fuji Safari Park has built a 65-meter-long pool for their elephants, allowing the animals to swim and the visitors to watch them doing it.
Feeding Enrichment for Red River Hogs
July 18, 2016
In the wild, red river hogs swim to forage for water plants. Houston Zoo gives its hogs the opportunity to perform this natural behaviour, by placing fake and real apples in water, making them forage for them.
Buoy as Enrichment for Elephants
July 18, 2016
An elephant at Houston Zoo was given a plastic buoy as enrichment.
Zoo Keepers Create New Platform to Share Enrichment Ideas
July 15, 2016
Zoo Wizards was created by zoo keepers and it aims to share effective, safe and cheap enrichment ideas, accessible by world wide zoos and zoo professionals.
Clay as Enrichment for Elephants
June 22, 2016
Midland Brick has donated 40 cubic square meters of clay to Perth Zoo, which was then given to their elephants as enrichment.
Philadelphia Zoo: Assessing Animal Welfare in a New Enclosure Design.
June 17, 2016
Philadelphia Zoo has started building a network of corridors between enclosures, providing their animals with extra space and opportunities to explore. Both visitors and zoo keepers like this new enrichment system but assessing the animals' response to it is not as easy. Mariek Gartner, animal welfare researcher at this zoo, explains how she is assessing the animal well-being in this new enclosure design, using behavioural studies and questionning the keepers that work closely with those animals.
Although she still needs more evidence to draw solid conclusions, she says there are certainly positive signs that indicate the animals enjoy this new system.
Enrichment for Lions at Newquay Zoo
June 13, 2016
A lion at Newquay Zoo was presented with a straw-filled sack connected to a spring with a rope. This enrichment device was created by Student Environmental Enrichment Courses (SEEC).
Fruity Enrichment for Nurse Sharks
June 11, 2016
Staff at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium have given their nurse sharks watermelons as enrichment.
Enrichment for white rhinos at Flamingo Land Zoo
May 16, 2016
Tyres and branches used as enrichment for two white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum), at Flamingo Land Zoo.
Scent Enrichment for Tigers
May 12, 2016
This tiger at Wildlife Heritage Foundating was given a barrel sprayed with perfume and spent all day carrying it around.
Twycross Zoo is using new technology to elicit natural behaviours in captive chimpanzees!
May 11, 2016
Researchers from the University of Birmingham have designed a new web-based program that is helping zoo staff at Twycross Zoo designing the enclosure and enrichment programmes for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).
This program gives information on features commonly seen in these animals' natural habitat - applying this to zoo enclosures makes them more unpredictable and stimulates captive animals to perform natural behaviours and use more their musculature for locomotion. Zoo staff observe the behaviour of the animals and add this information to the program, which automatically compares it with data from the wild.
These new features include a network of straps and nets, occupying the whole height of the enclosure. At the top, pockets with food are hidden in the chimps' bedding. The movement of the straps and nets changes with the number and actions of animals using them - an unpredictability that is common in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzees are listed as "Endangered" in the IUCN Red List, and it may be necessary to reintroduce captive-born individuals back into the wild, in the future. For this to be possible, these have to be not only genetically diverse, but also show similar behavioural and physiological responses to their wild counterparts.
Animal Training and Enrichment - Conversation with Director of Training at San Francisco Zoo
May 03, 2016
The Animal Training Academy spoke to Debbie Marrin, Director of Training and Behavioural Husbandry at San Francisco Zoo, discussing topics on animal training, positive reinforcement, developing human-animal relationships, use of training in conservation, and others!
Feeding Enrichment for Chimpanzees
April 29, 2016
These chimpanzees, at Rockhampton Zoo, were provided with straw, where treats were hidden. An effective way of promoting group foraging behaviour.
Enrichment for Clouded Leopards
April 26, 2016
Animal enrichment programme for clouded leopards at Nashville Zoo.
Feeding Enrichment for Tapirs
April 26, 2016
Enrichment device that promote natural foraging behaviours (browsing) in tapirs.
Painting as Enrichment for Ravens at the National Zoo
April 07, 2016
As ravens are known for using tools in the wild, staff at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Institute encourage their ravens to paint, so they can replicate some of the tool-use natural behaviours they would perform in the wild.
Enrichment for meerkats at Houston Zoo
April 04, 2016
To stimulate foraging behaviour in their meerkats, staff at Houston Zoo hid treats inside cups and hang the cups in the enclosure.
Enrichment ideas for tigers (Leningrad Zoo)
March 28, 2016
Various enrichment devices used by Leningrad zoo to stimulate their captive tigers (Video by Martyna Zon).
Gorilla Easter egg hunt at Cincinnati Zoo.
March 25, 2016
Every year, Cincinnati Zoo organises an egg hunt for its Western lowland gorillas! Great enrichment for the animals and fun for the visitors!
Bath as Enrichment for Giant Panda - Smithsonian National Zoo
March 23, 2016
Enrichment for a Giant panda at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Although pandas do not bath very often in the wild, this male is exhibiting typical behaviours of the breeding season and enjoys playing with water.
White rhinos go to a Spa - Mud bath as enrichment (Perth Zoo)
March 17, 2016
Perth Zoo allows its rhinos to have mud baths, which not only works as enrichment, stimulating natural behaviours, but also protects the animals from the sun and insects.
Feeding enrichment for a snow leopard (Wildlife Heritage Foundation).
March 16, 2016
Keepers from Paradise Wildlife Park have been spending with with keepers at WHF, sharing knowledge and experience. This snow leopard got really excited when its dinner was provided in an enriching way.
Olfactory enrichment for an Eurasian lynx (Wildlife Heritage Foundation)
March 12, 2016
Olfactory enrichment for an Eurasian lynx, at Wildlife Heritage Foundation UK. The box was sprayed with Ralph Lauren aftershave, and the lynx was attracted to the unusual smell, rubbing and rolling on it.
Feeding enrichment for a fishing cat (Wildlife Heritage Foundation)
March 09, 2016
Making a fishing cat work for its food is a great way of providing enrichment.
Feeding enrichment for a komodo dragon (Randers Regnskow)
March 03, 2016
How to challenge a komodo dragon when feeding it? Find out in the video.
Enrichment for rhinos (Cincinnati Zoo).
February 24, 2016
Enrichment for rhinos at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Enrichment for Giant Pandas (Atlanta Zoo)
February 11, 2016
Watch a Panda having fun at Atlanta Zoo..
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