AssetID: 53321154
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Christmas Comes Early For San Antonio Zoo's Animals
Caption: San Antonio Zoo’s animals have been enjoying some presents a little early this Christmas - as despite being wild beasts, they love playing with their enrichment toys. At the zoo, enrichment plays a vital role in ensuring the wellbeing of the animals. From fish and reptiles to primates and large carnivores, every animal receives enrichment tailored to their specific needs, promoting increased activity levels, more natural foraging behaviors, improved body condition, greater group cohesion, and more. This year the Zoo has put together an Amazon Wish List filled with goodies that will make tails wag, feathers flutter, and scales glisten - so well-wishers can be a part of their fun. "We are thrilled to invite our community to be a part of the animals' holiday festivities," said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. "By purchasing a gift from their Amazon Wish List, you directly contribute to the wellbeing of the animals at San Antonio Zoo. It's a wonderful opportunity to create magical moments for both the animals and our community during this special time of year." Using different items that have strong scents, like herbal teas, kitchen spices, and even Beyonce-branded perfume, is a common strategy used to provide animals with olfactory or scent-based enrichment. Carnivore species, ranging from bush dogs to hyenas and even tigers, will use their strong sense of smell when tracking their prey and communicating with others through scent marking. By providing different items with strong scents in their habitats, keepers simulate carnivores exploring their environment with their sense of smell. Regularly rotating the scents we use, ranging from paprika to perfume, helps keep the animals physically and mentally stimulated. On the Amazon Wish List (https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/GDS0B8JXL4TG) there are different categories, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, and more. Each category offers specific enrichment items tailored to the animals' needs, ensuring that every donation makes a significant impact on their wellbeing.
Keywords: feature,photo,zoo,san antonio,animals,natural world,nature,video
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