Alright, not enrichment as such, a nice sized climbing frame, different substrate & what look like live plantings. Better than sterile enviroments favoured by so many other zoos. Hope that clears things up!
You need to broaden your definition of enrichment Toddy! A complex climbing structure is highly enriching for an arboreal primate, thus for enrichment. It's not all about devises that prolong feeding, anything that makes the environment for the captive animal more stimulating is in fact enrichment.
You need to broaden your definition of enrichment Toddy! A complex climbing structure is highly enriching for an arboreal primate, thus for enrichment. It's not all about devises that prolong feeding, anything that makes the environment for the captive animal more stimulating is in fact enrichment.
I am afraid that I will have to slightly disagree with you there, @nicholas. A fixed climbing structure in an exhibit cannot be counted as enrichment but rather a part of the design. While it may be "enriching" at first once, the animals get familiar with it, it will cease to provide the mental stimulation that it needs to truly be considered "enrichment". It is the same with zoos that let the same tyre, barrel etc. hang in an exhibit 24/7 or use the same feeders over and over and still calls it enrichment.
Enrichment needs to be variable and changeable. You are quite right that it by no means has to be food-devices, it can be almost anything as long as it enriches mentally and or physically but if it simply stays in the exhibit it will become part of the furniture.
Don't get me wrong the climbing frame in this exhibit is splendid and I love the fact that there are live plants in here. The design of an exhibit is every bit as important as enrichment but calling it so is simply to easy. Combine the design in this exhibit with a good enrichment programme and you have got a top class exhibit.
