Enrichment And Food For The Gorillas

I always get asked about enrichment for the gorillas. Most of it always happens when the zoo isn't open for visitors or the weekends which I try and avoid because it’s too busy. When I visit them, I only see what is left of it. Shufai played with some leftover paper from a cardboard box and Ozala was eating the last bits of food that were hidden in the hessian sack. Lope loves his occasional Kong Toy, which they filled with something sticky. He had to try and get it out with the stick or his fingers. When he finished he threw it, unfortunately I didn’t catch the throw. Inside there was a gym ball that was surprisingly still inflated. Lope had a little touch, but wasn't quite sure of what to make of the ball and avoided it all day after that. The rest of the family wasn't too impressed with it either. Sticks and trees are always available for them as they love to chew the bark of it. Asante prefers to take her food up to the top bunk, that’s why you can never see her through feeding time. During the day there are several feedings. A scatter feed, where the food is thrown over the wall from the visitor site so they have to forage for it in the grass. Sometimes they get locked inside and staff places food outside including all over the climbing frame. Or other times they get locked in the back away from visitors when they do their medical checks. They did a big feed outside where Ozala got hold of all the fat balls, as you can see she loves them. Another time Lope got hold cauliflower and some letters, he didn’t hold back. A look at the little waterfall and pools with Biddy in the back, leaning against the warm wall sunbathing as usual. Normally the family doesn’t go anywhere near the pool or water, not even during the heatwave, but when a little food from the scatter feed has fallen in, that is when Ozala braves the water in fishes out what she can.