What are some examples of Enrichment?
Provided below are a few videos taken by our staff at Potter Park Zoo that demonstrate different types of enrichment and how the animals may interact with them.
Our meerkats enjoy engaging with a puzzle feeder. These feeders prolong the feeding time, as the animals must search for their food just as they might forage in the wild. Overall, this experience provides more variety and excitement to the meerkats during feeding time.
Puzzle feeder Example: https://www.facebook.com/186021780022/videos/260818265685916
Kota, our male lion, can be seen playing with a boomer ball. He is able to interact with the ball with his sense of touch, move it around his enclosure and participate in play behaviors. This activity is able to provide mental stimulation, as he enjoys exploring this novel object..
Boomer Ball Example: https://www.facebook.com/186021780022/videos/227998602046008
Our spider monkey, Marcel, was given a mirror as a form of enrichment. While he can interact with this object using senses such as sight and touch, this is also considered a form of social enrichment. As Marcel looks into the mirror, he sees another spider monkey staring back at him.
Mirror Example: https://www.facebook.com/186021780022/videos/348894139869760
There are many other types of enrichment such as scents and spices, ropes and other objects for climbing, or even frozen ice treats on hot days. The animal care staff may also theme the enrichment items around specific holidays or events. Some examples, using plastic eggs around Easter and pumpkins around Halloween. Visit the Potter Park Zoo Facebook page to find other videos and pictures demonstrating enrichment!
Looking for ways to engage with enrichment yourself?
The animal care team is constantly providing our animals with enrichment opportunities so keep your eye out the next time you visit the zoo. You can also plan to attend future enrichment focused events, like Tailgate with the Animals or Winter Gifts.
Potter Park Zoo is currently accepting donations from the wish list on our website in which you can provide many of the objects used to create enrichment for the animals! There are several sites with wish lists that the Animal Care staff have created. Find them here at: https://potterparkzoo.org/donate/
Don’t miss Part 1 of this blog series to learn about why enrichment is so important!
https://potterparkzoo.org/benefits-of-enrichment/
