The enrichment is good for the animals and it’s good for the environment. The goal is always encouraging an animal’s natural behaviors. ![]() “This was created with a hole on top and then it has these legs that, once the food is dropped in, the pigs will push it around in the yard and root, and it will release the treats out of the arms of the stump.” “Pigs like to root, and they like to get under stumps,” she said. With a little creativity, a large water jug can become a feeder for warthogs that looks like a tree stump. The hoses, which are very durable, can be woven into the shape of a cube and given to the rhinos to push around with their horns. The team has also collected old fire hoses from fire stations to make toys such as treat feeders. “So we’re able to save them from that and we use them.” “A lot of the items that we receive are either gently used or ready for the landfill,” Levanik said. Pillowcases from the hotels, fabrics from costuming or paper towel rolls from custodial can all be used for enrichment. Levanik helps design the enrichment items given to the animals in the park. Often, enrichment can come from everyday items found across Disney World property that the team has transformed into something new. ![]() (Spectrum News/Ashley Carter)Īnimal enrichment is a big undertaking at the park, with animal care cast members in multiple departments working with each other to find new ways to keep the animals active and engaged. Putting presents around the gorilla habitat allows them to forage for food like they would in the wild, or the gorillas will use their climbing abilities to reach the presents placed in the trees.Īnimal enrichment items on display at Disney's Animal Kingdom. And they all get some form of enrichment - activities or items that seek to trigger natural behaviors in the animals. They are part of a larger enrichment program at the park.Īnimal Kingdom is home to tens of thousand of animals - big and small. The wrapped packages and the blankets are more than just gifts for the gorillas. We can use them for medical procedures to provide them comfort, something soft while they recovery.” “For our gorillas, they’ll get these sheets to cover themselves,” said Angela Levanik, an animal keeper at the park. Some used the sheets as covers for their heads - it was a chilly morning - while others used them like a picnic blanket for their food. Even the wrapping paper that was ripped apart to retrieve the food was edible.ĭisney did something similar for the Galapagos tortoises in October, treating them to pumpkins just in time for Halloween.Īcross the way, animal keepers gave the bachelor troop of gorillas in the habitat white sheets to play with. Inside each present was an edible treat-popcorn, oats, alfalfa, hay and more. Presents in trees, requiring the gorillas to use their climbing skills to reach. ![]() On a cool morning earlier this month, the gorillas celebrated with dozens of brightly wrapped presents.Īs they entered their habitat, they found presents on the ground. The enrichment is designed to encourage natural behaviors in the animals.A water jug can become a feeder for warthogs, or the team can go high-tech and create a motorized cheetah ball using a 3D printer. ![]() The animal care team gets creative with the items they create for the animals, sometimes using simple items to make a device.Experts say enrichment is an important part of caring for animals at Disney's Animal Kingdom.Plus, it can be spot cleaned for easy care. The sleeveless tunic is made from soft material for comfortable wear over your clothing. It features a bright orange construction cone-shaped vest with dual metallic bands for fun flair, along with a cut-out opening for the face. This themed adult costume makes a whimsical seasonal outfit. Get ready for fun parades, festivals, Halloween or theme parties in this Adult Construction Cone Halloween Costume from Hyde & EEK! Boutique™.
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