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REAL. WILD. FUN.
ENRICHMENT DAY AT THE HOUSTON ZOO
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday September 24

(09/15/2011)


(HOUSTON) September 14, 2011 … Just how frenzied is a piranha feeding frenzy? How does a goat paint a picture? When you celebrate your Komodo dragon’s birthday what kind of a cake do you make? Will fruit bats do The Hustle if you put disco ball lights in their cave?

Learn the answers to these intriguing questions and a lot more during Animal Enrichment Day at the Houston Zoo Saturday, September 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

During Enrichment Day, Zoo guests get a rare opportunity to see how our keepers engage the animals in their care in a wide variety of challenging and intriguing activities that encourage natural behaviors.

Guests get to share in the fun with unique Meet the Keeper Talks and games and activities. Run the Enrichment Obstacle Course or paint your own masterpiece using the tools and techniques that Houston Zoo animals use. Find out how you can employ Zoo enrichment techniques at home with your pets.

Enrichment Day happens only once a year at the Houston Zoo. Don’t miss it. Find out more when you visit the Houston Zoo online at http://www.houstonzoo.org/enrichment-day/.

Highlights of Animal Enrichment Day

Animal Enrichment Day at the Houston Zoo will feature more than 50 enrichment activities. Below are just a few highlights.

10:30 a.m. Natural Encounters. Piranha feeding frenzy with whole fish filets

10:30 a.m. Reptile House. Smaug the Komodo dragon gets his birthday cake

10:45 a.m. Natural Encounters Bat Cave. The bats have a party with disco ball lights, ice pops and toys.

11:30 a.m. Natural Encounters Desert Exhibit. Guests get to decide what enrichment goes on exhibit and then watch the fun.

12:45 p.m. McGovern Children’s Zoo. Trent the painting goat creates another masterpiece.

Environmental enrichment is a way to mentally engage and challenge animals that live in zoos. The more enriched an animal is, the more likely the animal is to exhibit natural behaviors. Enrichment often involves food because much of an animal’s day is spent in search of food in the wild. Scent is another form of environmental enrichment. The Zoo’s carnivore (lions, tigers, small cats) keepers use spices, vanilla and even perfume to introduce smells into their exhibits.

Another important kind of enrichment is training. Keepers train Zoo animals to display certain behaviors by using operant conditioning methods involving verbal cues, followed by a whistle, or reinforcement signal, and a food reward.





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