As Christmas approaches, giving animals wrapped presents might seem a bit silly ... but for the residents at Taronga Zoo, gifts provide hours of fun and mental exercise! "These enrichment activities provide our animals with important opportunities to show off the skills they have developed to be successful survivors in the wild,” explains primate keeper Lou Grossfeld. 

The chimps were quick to pounce on the festive items, showing off their natural foraging skills to uncover the food inside (though like many youngsters, Taronga’s 15-month-old chimpanzee 'Fumo' seemed just as happy playing with the cardboard box!). Each gift was carefully crafted by zoo staff to both challenge and excite the animal receiving it. The Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos, for example, received a wreath decorated with their favourite fruits and flowers, encouraging them to use their amazing climbing skills to retrieve the tasty treats.

"Daily behavioural enrichment is an important part of caring for the animals at our zoo," says Taronga. "Keepers and the Behavioural Studies Unit are constantly setting new challenges for the animals. This includes hiding food so they have to forage and work for their meals, stimulating their hunting abilities and in turn educating visitors about the extraordinary abilities of animals."

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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo
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Image: Taronga Zoo