GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo (JBZ) invites patrons to watch animals engage with their enrichment activities.
Enrichment activities offer mental stimulation and coax animals to behave as they would in their natural habitats, zoo officials explain.
“Our job as animal caretakers is to make sure we’re meeting the animals’ needs, and a big part of that is providing outlets and stimulation that allows them to exhibit their typical behavior,” says Curator of Behavioral Husbandry Erin Moloney.
Examples of enrichment activities include foraging and making use of scents to exercise animals’ tracking capabilities, according to JBZ.
The zoo went viral on TikTok several months ago after team members sprayed perfume on part of a grizzly bear’s environment to encourage her to give herself back scratches.
@johnball_zoo 💫✨ She's in her Lover Era ✨💫 *Perfume is used as enrichment for the bears and is safe for all animal use! Enrichment distribution is done by professionals, please do not try at home!* #swiftie #tswift #loverera #zootok ♬ original sound - John Ball Zoo
Objects made of paper mâché make use of cats’ hunting instincts, giving them something to pounce and tear apart, JBZ adds. Meanwhile, primates are given food puzzles that allow them to forage as they would in the wild.
Guests may view these activities in motion every day between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Visit the zoo’s website for more information.
