A grizzly bear investigating a campsite is normally not a welcome sight. However, when it's one of the bears at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, it is. It's all part of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's annual Creature Comforts event, featuring a full day of animal enrichment demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 14.
Throughout the day, Zoo visitors can watch as animals engage in enrichment activities designed to encourage natural behaviors, stimulate their minds and keep their bodies active. Keepers will be on hand to explain how various animals benefit from the enrichment activities, which will also include sloth bears climbing for papier-mâché beehives and orangutans solving food puzzles.
While enrichment activities are essential to Zoo animals, they also can be good for domestic pets. During Creature Comforts, Zoo visitors can make enrichment items for their own animals and take them home.
Animal enrichment takes place daily at the Zoo, but often goes unnoticed by the public. Creature Comforts offers guests the chance to see numerous enrichment demonstrations and talk to the keepers who care for the animals.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with extended summer weekend hours. Admission is $10 per person ages 12 and older, $7 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children under 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 77, 90 and 480. To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.
