- Sub-areas:
- Overview
- Reviews
- Feeding & Care
Enrichment for the animals
We have an extensive enrichment programme with our carnivores here at Chessington Zoo to help encourage behaviour such as social interaction.
The animals are presented with novel scents such as dung from prey species and strong smelling plants and herbs, as well as tactile objects like rope balls and wooden logs. We also have plans to start some auditory enrichment where the animals are presented with sounds from other animals belonging to the same species.
Feeding time
We strive to provide the animals with feeds that are as enriching as possible, not only by giving them a variety of foods, but by getting them to work for it, or to think about how they can get to it. For example food will be hidden under a log pile or stuffed into sacking for them to rip open, and for the more agile animals their dinner will be hidden up a tree. Sometimes we rub the food round the enclosure leaving a blood trail to confuse their sense of smell, or we will do what is called a forage feed where lots of small pieces of food are placed around the enclosure for the animals to hunt.
Training
We are starting a husbandry training programme for the animals in the carnivore section, which will include asking them to open their mouths for a dental examination, or to accept an injection from our vet without anaesthetic. Our previous litter of tiger cubs were trained to willingly get into their moving crates in readiness for they move to Burges Zoo, in the Netherlands.
Book your visit now, or for the chance to get even more involved, see our information about Zoo Keeper for a Day, Animal Parties and Adoption packages.
