ZSL London Zoo is celebrating Easter in style by providing its animal residents with some egg-stra special treats. The staff at the Regent's Park conservation centre have been "stepping into the
role of Easter bunny", hiding giant cardboard eggs filled with treats around the enclosures of Sumatran tigers, meerkats, and Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkeys.
The animals were quick to get in on the action, clawing their way into the cardboard eggs to "practise their natural foraging behaviours". Sumatran tiger cubs Crispin and Zac followed a cinnamon-scented trail to find their eggs, while the meerkats hunted for their treats among sand and rocks. The Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkeys were particularly enthusiastic, reaching for their eggs filled with sweet potato, sweetcorn and peas hanging in their treetop home.
Manager Dan Simmonds said that the animals were not going to miss out on any of the egg-based action this Easter. The eggs were filled with a variety of foodstuffs, including bugs for the meerkats, in addition to the sweet treats for the monkeys.
But it’s not just about the animals having fun. The egg hunt also provided an opportunity to encourage natural foraging behaviours that the animals would normally experience in the wild. Simmonds noted that the Easter treats were a way to offer some enriching, egg-based animal activities for the residents at the zoo.
Easter is a time when many people enjoy sweet treats and chocolate eggs, but it’s important to remember that animals love to indulge in some special treats too. The egg hunt at ZSL London Zoo is just one example of how zoos and conservation centres can provide animals with enrichment and an opportunity to exhibit natural behaviours. Zoos have come a long way in recent years, and there is now a greater focus on providing a more natural environment for the animals in their care.
Zoos have always played an important role in educating the public about animals and their natural habitats. By creating opportunities for visitors to see and learn about different animals and their behaviours, zoos help to raise awareness of conservation issues and the importance of protecting endangered species. The egg hunt at ZSL London Zoo provides a fun and interactive way for visitors to learn about the natural foraging behaviours of animals, while also having some fun in the process.
In conclusion, the Easter egg hunt at ZSL London Zoo is a great example of how zoos can provide enrichment and opportunities for animals to exhibit natural behaviours. The event also serves as an educational tool for visitors, who can learn about different animals and their natural habitats. Zoos and conservation centres have an important role to play in raising awareness of conservation issues, and the Easter egg hunt is just one way that they can engage the public and encourage them to take action to protect endangered species. Photo by Donar Reiskoffer, Wikimedia commons.