Tristan and the Boomer Ball
January 2001, 12th
Behavioral enrichment. Giving captive animals something to do which will
break up the monotony of captivity is becoming more and more accepted and
used throughout the zoo community these days. It is something Wolf Park has
pursued from the beginning. It is more than just tossing in a toy for the
animals to play with. It is providing them with mental stimulation on almost
a daily basis.
This boomer ball is a good example. It is a fun toy, but like any toy on
Christmas morning, the kids will become tired of it in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. If we were to leave such an item in with the pack for any time, they would quickly treat it like any other part of their environment --
the novelty wears off and they will ignore it. So, we only bring it in on rare occasions, often placing a handful of dog kibble in a hole we drilled in it so that when rolled around, it will relinquish it's treasure. Such toys are great for any animal, even the family dog!
