We promote the socialization of our animals with new activities of environmental enrichment

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When empathy is channeled between human and animals, incredible initiatives takes place by our zookeepers. They have used the close bond they have with the animals of Terra Natura Benidorm and the exhaustive knowledge they have of each animal to create new environmental enrichment activities focused on improving the welfare of each species and its degree of socialization.
The permanent contact that our zookeepers have with the animals allows them to know their particular customs and tastes, and based on this knowledge, different elements of environmental enrichment have been developed and introduced into the facilities to break with the routine habits. The results obtained are the improvement of socialization, abilities and intelligence.
In particular, this technique has been applied to dholes, peccaries, armadillos and donkeys. The zookeepers put new elements to give the food in different points of each enclosure so that the animal has to look for them through the smell. In that search, the animals entertain themselves and play without realizing it, in a way that reinforces their motivation.
In the case of armadillos, a food dispensing trunk with different holes has been designed so they have to roll it to obtain the food inside.
The predatory instinct of the dholes leads them to tear their prey. Based on this behavior, the zookeepers have prepared large trunks of palm tree that can be torn as if they were a prey. Previously, they put blood in the trunk to wake up the hunting instinct of these mammals. The pack treats them like a prey, tearing the bark with its sharp teeth.
With the peccaries, zookeepers hide the food or they hang it at different points of the enclosure so that they can find it, they love broccoli, apples, peppers and carrots. They are not the only animals where food is placed on high points; for donkeys, fruit and vegetables are put in the branches of the trees where they can obtain their food. This helps to improve their training to make activities such as cleaning their hoofs.
 

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