Asian Lantern Festival will be closed on August 1 for a special event.
Zookeepers don't just toss an object towards an animal in hopes that fun will ensue. Instead, a customized plan is drawn up for each animal, taking into account its natural history (habitat, social structure, diet in the wild), individual history (age, health, disposition) and exhibit features (dimensions, substrate). The Zoo's enrichment committee brings animal care, veterinary, and research staff together to devise, approve, implement, document and evaluate each plan. Zoo scientists make sure enrichment plans deliver the intended benefits.
Goal: To encourage natural behaviors and discourage abnormal behaviors in the animal's exhibit and holding areas through enrichment by considering the animal's natural history, individual history, and exhibit considerations.
The Zoo's enrichment team uses a three-part questionnaire to examine the species, the exhibit and the individual animal:
Zookeepers prepare enrichment calendars such as this sample calendar. The calendars are daily records of intended results, enrichment offered, and actual results.
Look over some approved plans currently in use at this Zoo: