CHIMPANZEE ENRICHMENT
Chimpanzee Enrichment
By Peter Dickinson, formerly Welsh Mountain Zoo,
with very special thanks to Primate/Alligator Keeper, Chantal Adams, who
contributed to, criticised and corrected this document.
Dedicated to the memory of two very
good friends, Penny and Flika and my adopted son 'Tanner'.
This article was originally written in 2002....how far have we moved on? I have only slightly revised it in 2013. Some of the links at the end of the article may now not work.
Things have changed over the years. The internet has very much taken over and there are dedicated Enrichment Groups. If you are a Zoo Professional you could check out Zoo Biology. There are as of June 2013.... 3,255 postings which mention 'enrichment'
Introduction:
This article makes no pretences at
being a deep scientific study. It is primarily a compilation of enrichment
activities for chimpanzees.
Where two or more chimpanzees are kept
together they can, will, and do, invent
and implement their own entertainment and games and “enrich” their lives. The
more animals there are, the wider the span of ages and sexes the greater the
number of scenarios and intrigues. This is natural behavior, ‘chimpanzee
politics’ in the raw. Their daily entertainment can be vastly expanded by what
is made available to them in their surroundings. This not only enhances social
interaction but provides play opportunities. Cage design and furniture are
fundamental to happy well adjusted animals. This should be considered from the
outset and improved upon when the opportunity arises. One of the most important
animal husbandry duties is for carers to provide “Environmental Enrichment” to
their charges. Although a relatively new term,
it is something which good animal keepers have been doing, when they had
a minute, since the Ark. Be as it may it receives not a single mention in the
classic 1973 Calgary Zoo In-Service Training Program or the 1980 National
Extension Colleges Zoo Animal Management Course nor for that matter in the excellent
1987 updated version of the Metro Toronto Zoos Manual of Zoo Keeping. Official
recognition of the existence and the importance of enrichment has been slow in
coming. Some zoos today have staff, or even whole departments dedicated to this
intriguing mix of art and science. Others expect their team to find the time
within an already overstretched working day, and so paying just a token nod to
the discipline. Enrichment needs time for planning, for constructing, for
implementing as well as for observing and recording! Enrichment is not an Extra, it should be an integral part of
daily animal husbandry.
I am aware of some collections which
will give no consideration to an enrichment device unless it is ‘natural’ in
appearance. Such noble aspirations are as limiting as they are pointless. It
certainly reduces what you are able to offer. If you could be sure that your
chimpanzees were ultimately to return to the wild then it would warrant some
consideration. Even then I would consider that unfamiliar, unnatural objects
could be mind expanding and be advantageous in preparing animals for an all too
unfamiliar wild.
Enrichment is for the animals, but
visitors enjoy it too. Why not advertise your enriching times. Let the keeper
do a talk at the same time. You may get donations or perhaps new ideas.
Sponsorship of enrichment projects is a distinct possibility.
One should try to enrich all the
senses. Think of the ‘tea bell’. You hear it and respond and perhaps react too (think
of Pavlov’s dog). Next you see the goodies laid out on the table, you smell
the freshly baked bread and cakes. As you eat you taste the delicious spread and
experience the different textures (touch) of crunchy biscuits and the soft but
wobbly solid of blancmange. It sounds nice, and it probably is, once, twice,
maybe three times but then it becomes boring. Something different is needed,
give it a break of one or two weeks and it will become as nice as it was in the
first place. Routine enrichment is boring!!
It is not necessary to try and enrich
all senses at all times. Concentrate on one or two and you will find that the
others may follow on their own. Remember that an enrichment need not
necessarily be seen to work to actually do so. The “cinema of the mind” can
replay a blockbuster at the stimulation of a sense. My first real but fleeting
love, some 38 years ago, wore a perfume which is barcoded in my brain. If I
smell that scent today I relive the most wonderful experiences. Smell is one of
the most important senses. Supermarkets are only too aware of this and use it
to persuade you to purchase bread and other products.
There are a multitude of possible
schemes that one could come up with. One of the simplest is outlined below:
hear
|
see
|
smell
|
taste
|
touch
|
|
Monday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Tuesday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Wednesday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Thursday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Friday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Saturday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
|||
Sunday
|
enrich
|
enrich
|
Quite simply, other than by routine
enrichment*, plus feeding and cleaning, try and concentrate on stimulating two
or more of the five senses each day, at different times of the day (ideally am
& pm). Remove any objects you have presented the following day and do not
repeat for at least six days.
Remember that more than one sense may
be activated by each enrichment presentation. TV/Video will quite obviously be
both a hear and a see situation.
However this could trigger a touch (it does in humans) which may in turn
lead to taste
or even smell
.
When planning any enrichment activity
always give consideration to Health & Safety. That is for the animals,
yourself, the public and the exhibit. Use common sense coupled with experience.
Avoid introducing anything into the exhibit which may cause injury to anyone or
anything.
Checklist on the Enrichment item:
·
Is it toxic?
·
Can the animal injure itself with it?
·
Can the animal injure another animal
with it?
·
Can the animal damage the exhibit with
it?
·
Can the enrichment cause aggressive
behavior?
·
Can the enrichment cause allergic
reaction?
·
Can the enrichment give opportunity to
escape the exhibit?
·
Can the enrichment be thrown from the
exhibit?
Do a risk assessment with every planned
enrichment. Where an enrichment is required to be securely fixed, it must be SECURELY
fixed. Above all use common sense.
*Routine Enrichment is some thing which
is done as part of the every day routine i.e. Termite mound fishing. All zoos
will have at least a couple of these.
There follows a list of enrichments
primarily with Chimpanzees in mind. It should be appreciated that some of these
are going to be controlled by enclosure design :
Cloth.
A simple cloth can provide hours of amusement. You can vary the length given
and the texture of the cloth presented. Although primarily to stimulate touch,
cloths can be scented, a different scent each time it is offered. (think orange
or strawberry or Channel No. 5) Every now and then soak the cloth in baby oil
before you present it (perhaps even scented baby oil). The oil will transfer
during play to hands, feet and coat. It does the animals good. touch, smell
Paintings/Posters.
Why not have a painting or poster of the week/day hanging in the chimpanzee
house where all animals can see it. They are highly observant and intelligent,
who knows what they get out of it. Try Chimp posters, other animals, abstracts,
bold colours. I have no doubt whatsoever that chimpanzees can recognise other
chimpanzees in large colour photographs. see
Pets.
A tank of mice, a fish tank, hermit crabs, stick insects or locusts set up,
well out of reach will provide the opportunity to observe something which is
constantly changing and out of the ordinary. This will also provide both smell
and auditory stimulation. smell, see, hear
Mirror.
Infrequent provision of a large mirror is a favoured amusement. Moreso for some
animals than others. If a source of indestructible hand mirrors can be found,
several can be introduced to the enclosure (a camping shop is a good source of
supply). A mirror mobile placed in a draught with an appropriately angled light
can produce a constantly changing myriad of light. Why not a mirror ball? A
fairground mirror? see
Magic
Carpet.
A big piece of carpet can become a
tent, a huge cloak, something to hide under, something to lounge on, something
to drag, to play tug of war with your cage mates. Carpets provide colour,
differing textures. touch
Wind
Chimes. Why not have several different chimes,
bamboo, glass, metal, wood etc. Hang up a different one each day. Why not mix
and match? hear,
see
Radio.
A radio can provide interest if set to a popular channel with a range of
musical types. If you have a tame genius on staff why not work on the
opportunity to allow animals to change radio stations themselves. hear
Television.
The benefits of television are listed above. Video offers the opportunity to present
the animals with something they like. Film of other chimp groups in the wild
and captivity, wildlife films, video of themselves, dancing, music, “Planet of
the Apes”, the list is endless. Expect them to like the unexpected. Expect each
chimp to have its own tastes. Ask anyone who has hand reared chimpanzees in the
home what they liked to watch on TV. You may be surprised. hear, see
Music.
Have you ever heard of the “Mozart Effect”? I have not found any references of
its affect on chimpanzees. Definitely an area that is worth looking at. Explore
the following links:
The
Mozart Effect Online Resources on Music/Brain Research
http://parenting-baby.com/Parenting-Baby-Music-Research/Music-Research.html
or perhaps it is all a con
the
Mozart Effect
http://skepdic.com/mozart.html
Possibly enriching.
Aromatherapy.
A range of natural aromatherapy oils should be available in the chimp house.
Use a different one each night. Note the animals reactions. Will a
calming/relaxing oil work when there is irritability within the group? smell
Bedding.
Bedding is one of the most important of enrichments. Animals will spend well
over an hour collecting bedding, making and remaking their beds. The best
overall bedding is “woodwool” (Exelsior in the US). Although it is more
expensive than alternatives, the observed benefits to the animals is immense.
Woodwool should be presented in an unfluffed block. The animals should be
allowed to break up and collect what they need themselves. Doing this for them
deprives them of important activity. Bedding can be made more interesting by
adding different scents to it each day.
Alternative beddings can be given at
random. Sacking, Shredded paper, Branches, Paper Sacks, Leaves. Feeds, treats
or other enrichments can be hidden in bedding. touch, smell
Fruit
and Nut Boards. Boards of non-toxic timber, or freshly
cut logs are drilled with masses of small holes of varying depths of 2 - 5
centimetres. The holes are tightly packed with small food items i.e peanuts,
raisins, dried fruit and treats. Several boards are prepared and presented to
the group. touch,
smell, see, taste
Sound.
I read somewhere of taped display or alarm calls being played to chimps. Not
sure about that one, though these are sounds they would hear in the wild. It
may stimulate alertness. Avoid anything which causes distress. How about
greeting calls or happy grunts? hear
Shakers.
You are going to need your maintenance department for this one. Get them to
constuct a small, but very strong container that can only be opened by you. The
container should have several small holes in it (think of a large pepper pot).
The container is filled with small treats by you. The only way the chimp can
get these out is by shaking the pot. Once they have figured it out it will keep
them busy for hours. There are products on the market (made for pigs,dogs and
horses) that will do the job. If you choose one of these make sure it is strong
enough.....and safe enough. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Coloured
Lights. Coloured lights have been shown to
affect the behavior of chimps. Green coloured flourescent light covers have
been shown to decrease anxiety, pacing and rocking. (see “Colored Light as
Environmental Enrichment for Captive Chimpanzees Pan Troglodytes “ by J. Fritz, S.M. Howell and M.L. Schwandt).
Definitely worth experimenting with. see
Back
Brushes. Chimps love to have their backs
scratched. Watch how often they rub their backs up and down wire or on logs to
ease an itch. Fix a robust industrial nylon brush to wall or wire at back
height. Although enriching such a fixture should be a permanent part of cage
furniture.
touch
Buckets.
Robust 5 gallon plastic buckets are a fun toy. They can collect water or grass
in them, use them as drums, to throw, sit in/on, or walk round with them on
their heads. A fun toy. touch, smell, see, hear
Hanging
Lolly. Using a 5 gallon bucket make up a
fruit juice solution. Pour 4” into bucket and freeze. Take a knotted rope about
6’ in length. Place one knotted end in the bucket centering it on top of the
ice. Fill the bucket to 1” below the rim with remaining juice and freeze again.
The Hanging lolly should be suspended above the ground. Experiment with height.
As an extra dimension small pieces of fruit can be frozen into the juice mix. touch, smell, see, taste
Mixed
Species. For many species a mixed enclosure can
be advantageous. One major plus is that it can be enriching. I am unaware of
any collection which has had success in mixing anything else in with
chimpanzees. The underlying message would seem to be that any enriching of this
nature would be one sided and very short lived. Don’t.
Sand
Pit. All children enjoy sand pits.
Chimpanzees are no exception. Use a corner of the enclosure and four 6-8
buckets of sand in a heap. As an extra interest you can bury peanuts in the
sand or whole fruits. touch, smell, see
Herb
Garden. Select a lesser used portion of the
outside enclosure and firmly fix a frame (roughly 6’ x 6’) into the ground. Fit
the frame with a strong, hinged, lockable lid. The lid should have quarter to
half inch mesh covering it. The meshed frame should be 6” from the ground. In
the ground below plant various herbs and spices. As these grow and the growing
tips poke through the mesh they can be harvested by the chimps. touch, smell, see, taste
PVC
Pipes. Several robust 30cm long, 6cm diameter
pipes have honey or jam smeared on the inside. These are thrown into the
enclosure. Animals will compete for different flavour tubes and have to figure
out how to get to goodies within. They will usually use small sticks or blades
of grass. An extra dimension can be added to this activity by adding scatter.
Once you have thoroughly smeared the inside of the tubes add a handful of
scatter feed. Place your hands on either end of the tube and shake thoroughly.
The scatter will stick to the jam or honey through the full length of the tube.
Why not do something different next time. Bung one end of the tube shut and set
flavoured jelly inside. Remove the bung and present. touch, smell,
see, taste
Party
Poppers. Lengths of robust ‘carpet tube’ is cut
into 4’ lengths. A loaf of bread, woodwool or paper sacking is placed into the
tube and packed down hard using a broom shaft. Treats are added, more wadding,
more treats, more wadding until the tube is full. Party poppers can provide
hours of play. touch,
smell, see, taste
Bubbles.
If you have a volunteer with time to spare encourage them to spend time blowing
bubbles over the outside enclosure. There are relatively inexpensive machines
which can do the job also. Properly situated they can provide diversion and
pleasure to visiting children and chimpanzees at the same time. Possibly add
scent to the bubble mix. touch, smell, see, taste
Glove
puppets. The education centre could encourage
kids to make puppets and put on a puppet show for the chimps. smell, see
Tug of
war. Take a length of rope and thread it
through the enclosure wire. Knot it in two places, eighteen inches apart. One
knot on the inside of the cage and one knot outside. Neither knot should be able
to fit through the wire. A safe game of tug of war can be carried out without
the risk of fingers being jammed. This is an off limits game involving keeping
staff and chimpanzees. Not members of the public. touch, smell,
see
Kong
Toys. These can be placed in the enclosure
for 24 hours and then removed for a week. Next time they are put in why not
have them full of set jelly or a fruit ice lolly or honey or other treats.
touch, smell, see, taste
Imitation.
Edinburgh Zoo came up with the
innovative idea (or perhaps someone else had it first) of building an adventure
playground for their chimpanzees AND building an identical one (outside of but
clearly in sight of the enclosure) for humans. I have not read anything of how
this has worked....but anything which improves on the suspended tyre can only
be good. I feel fairly confident that the animals liked what they were given.
touch, smell, see, hear
Boomer
Balls. If presented infrequently will provide
hours of fun on their own. The larger balls have a removable plug and so can be
filled with treats which will fall out as they are carried or rolled. Why not
spray the balls with scent or flavourings or smear with jam? touch, smell, see, taste
Termite
Mound. A prime enrichment. A varying and
imaginative array of different treats are placed in the tubes. Honey, various
jams, treacle, maple syrup, ketchup, mustard, chutneys, mayo and more.
Try and add something different every
day, no day being the same two days in a row. Place in different parts of the
mound so they have to hunt to find their favourite. touch, smell,
see, taste
Dippers.
These are a sort of naked termite mound. Take three or four clear plastic open
top containers and securely fix to the ground about a foot or so (out of
finger/hand reach) of any meshed part of your enclosure. Fill the containers
with liquid goodies. The only way these can be reached is with browse. Let the
chimps figure it out for themselves. They can dip into the containers.
You can add extra dimensions to this
enrichment by giving three identical liquids but tinting them different colours
using food dyes. Do chimps show colour preference? Have fun. touch, smell, see, taste
Browse.
Browse is offered either on its own or as part of other enrichments. (See
Termite Mound, Dippers above and Stretch below). Browse MUST be safe. Do not
present anything unless you are positive it is harmless. As a general rule
steer clear of evergreens (though Holme Oak is safe and all animals like it).
Oak, Sycamore, Beech, Ash, Willow are all good but avoid acorns and beech mast.
Size, length, number of leaves etc all need a little thought. Browse can be
offered in pre cut lengths but is far better offered in whole branches. These
can be securely fixed to other cage furniture within the enclosure. Ideally
this will be as far as possible from the termite mound or whatever it is going
to be used with. This way the chimps will have to make a special journey to
utilise browse as a tool. touch, smell, see, taste
Fish.
A novel but harmless object i.e. food, cloth, book, keys etc is placed a
distance from enclosure bars. The chimps are given browse and the opportunity
to stretch and fish for the novel object and drag it within reach. The animals
will get much more pleasure from this undertaking if they believe they are
doing it themselves without your knowledge. It appeals to the mischievousness
and get a greater sense of accomplishment and pleasure. touch, smell,
see, taste
Clothes.
Clothes are always appreciated. Avoid knitted garments or anything which may
‘run’. Remove buttons or zips. Most chimps are bright enough to know what they
have been given and will sometimes get dressed up. touch, smell,
see, hear
Finger
Painting. This won’t work with all animals, just
those with more patience. Offer a choice of non-toxic finger paints and allow
the animals to apply the paint to paper. Some chimps can be allowed the paper
and will hand it back afterwards. Others should ‘paint’ through the wire. Use
fingers or brushes. Some will use twigs left over from browse. touch, smell, see
Peanut
Wrap. Differing numbers of peanuts or other
treats are wrapped in coloured papers. Chimps are given a choice of which
colour they want. Over a period of weeks let them figure out which colour is
the most rewarding. You need to be consistent for this to work.. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Scrubbing
Brushes. Chimps, when offered the tools, will
often spend time cleaning their quarters. They don’t make a very good job, but
they do enjoy doing it. Robust scrubbing brushes are always good. We have, in
the past, had animals wash down the walls of their quarters using a bucket and
cloth. They stop occasionally to ring out cloth or shake any bedding off the
cloth and then go on to sweep and bag up rubbish. touch, smell,
see, hear
Training.
Training is perhaps the most enriching activity of all. It can draw in all the
senses. It allows both keeper and animal to have benefits and ultimately
improves all round husbandry and well being an invaluable management tool . All
enrichment staff should read Kayce Cover,
Volume 1: An Introduction To Bridge And
Target Technique. email: k_cover@hotmail.com
for further info.
touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Sign
Language. Why not teach your chimps sign
language? You don’t have to go with any internationally recognised language,
invent your own in house language, providing all carers with the key. Perhaps a
chart in the chimp house.
Start simply. Three signs and build up
from there. Remember some animals, like people, are so much brighter than
others.
I have watched our animals sign to
visitors, asking them to carry out certain behaviours. Whats more, the visitors
react and do exactly what they are told. If the visitor is reproached by a
member of staff the excuse is always “But the chimp asked me to do it”.
Signing can help with better animal
management.
see, hear
Speak
to Your Animals. I always do. I speak to them exactly
as I would speak to any human being. I don’t believe in this
anti-anthropomorphic rubbish. Spoken to daily it is surprising how much English
Language (or whatever) they pick up and clearly understand. Even if your
‘conversation’ is one sided and addressed to a particular animal, the others
are watching, listening and learning.
“‘Joey’ come here please. Show me your
foot will you. No, not that one, the other one. Good man.” It makes management
so much easier.
If you prefer to move along the
pant/hoot chimp language road then why not? Different strokes for different
folks.
see, hear
Magazines.
Magazines and colourful catalogues are enjoyed by some. They will spend time
looking at pretty pictures. On some occasions it is worth placing a peanut or a
smartie every hundred pages or so. Inevitably magazines will be ripped up. Save
this enrichment for evening or wet days when the animals are locked in. Try and
avoid them spreading torn up paper all over their enclosure. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Combs.
Comb your own hair. The animals watch. Present several identical combs to the
animals. Let them imitate. touch, smell, see
Pinatas.
Pinatas are fun, but take some time to construct. Liase with your education
department. Perhaps a local school or class will do the construction
themselves. The pinata could be a model of a chimp, a leopard, an elephant. Why
not a cartoon character or similar? The completed pinata can be stuffed with
goodies and left in the enclosure. There is the opportunity to do Birthday
pinatas for chimps or zoo visitors. The visitors could pay to treat the chimps.
The pinata could be packed full of wrapped fruit and safe toys. Lots of fun. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Hide
& Seek. Small Food items/toys are hidden
around the enclosure before the animals are given access. This can be done
several days in a row and then stopped to be effective. touch, smell,
see, taste, hear
Peek a
Boo. In exactly the same way you would play
with a young human infant. You hide behind a solid object appearing at
irregular intervals to surprise. This is best done in conjunction with a mask
or series of masks. see, hear
Chase.
Only possible where you can run around a length of the enclosure on the outside
and the chimp can do the same on the inside. First you chase the chimp, then
they chase you. They won’t always play this game. Some will more than others.
We all have our ‘off’ days. Chimps do too. see, hear
Tickle.
(Only experienced keepers with trusted animals) All chimps like being tickled.
They will present their back to enclosure wire so that you can do this. They
smile, laugh and enjoy. Highly appreciated. Can be used in conjunction with
training.
touch, hear
Groom.
(Only experienced keepers with trusted animals) All chimps like being groomed
and sometimes to groom. They not only enjoy the activity but seem to enjoy
watching it being carried out on others. Again this can be used in conjunction
with training. It is important as a means of examining parts of the body in
event of injury.
touch, hear
Scratch
and Sniff. Magazines often contain scratch and
sniff cards advertising a variety of products. Collect these together. Show the
chimps what to do. Give them a card each. touch, smell, see
Lava
lamp. Most chimp houses will, or should,
have a night light. Why not use a lava lamp. It will do the same job as well as
providing an endlessly changing interest. see
Enclosures.
Should where possible contain poles, branches, nets, ropes, fire hose, bungee
cord, tyres, hammocks, platforms and visual barriers in the form of
landscaping, boulders, large tree trunks etc. Visual barriers and escape routes
are very important for group harmony. There should be a facility whereby the
position of logs, ropes and hoses can have their positions changed on a regular
basis, ideally monthly. Simple changes of this nature are perhaps the simplest
most effective enrichment. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Panto.
A seasonal idea. Why not have your local school come and perform their
Christmas/Eid/Diwali/etc play for the chimps. Take it from me the animals will
like it. The kids will like it. The local press will like it and the zoo will
benefit. Ideal time to draw peoples attention to enrichment. see, hear
Platforms.
Will allow the opportunity for ‘drumming’ as well as a place to rest when warm,
congregate upon away from damp ground and shelter under when raining. They are
also one of the most effective visual barriers allowing opportunity for
‘peek-a-boo’ play. As a rigid structure they may allow the opportunity to fix
other enrichment devices upon it i.e. metal drums of different tones.
Positioning of the platforms may allow access to views/vistas not available
elsewhere. Fixed floor platforms on raised springs add an extra dimension to an
already important fixture (I saw one of these being used by Celebes Macaques in
Newquay Zoo).
touch, smell, see,
hear
Extended
Access. Why not let your animals have 24 hour
access to their enclosure/hall every now and again? Or extend access till after
dark? That is do something different to the norm. A change is as good as a
rest. Providing the weather is clement a night outside could be quite
enriching.
touch, smell, see, hear
Substrates.
Few collections are lucky enough to be able to change their enclosure
substrate. Straw, Shavings, Wood wool, Aubiose, Bark Chippings are all enjoyed.
Vary the thickness, each can provide its own interests and activity. Even a
bare concrete or tiled floor is appreciated for sliding around on. The biggest
advantage to a thick substrate is being able to really hide a scatter feed
within it. This provides hours of activity. Try not to stick with the same
boring old substrate because it looks good, is less messy, makes less work.
Change is good.
touch, smell, see,
taste, hear
Pine
Cones. Pine cones can have small food treats
jammed down into the bristles before being scattered around the enclosure.
Education centre involvement could be a help. Kids clubs? Competition for the
most attractive pine cone? touch, smell, see, taste
Pillows.
If you are lucky enough to get hold of some strong burlap or canvas bags, pack
these tightly with woodwool or straw and secure tightly. Throw two or three
into the chimps. Let them compete, chase, pillow fight. As an alternative on
other days suspend one or all with short ropes. touch, smell,
see
Pass
the Parcel. A food item (say a bunch of bananas)
is securely wrapped in a bag within a bag within a bag within a bag within a
box within a box within a box and so on. This is thrown into the enclosure. The
chimps will compete for it or for bits of it until the winner gets the prize.
Extra dimensions can be added by adding small food treats within layers or even
oiled or scented cloths. Great fun to watch. touch, smell,
see, taste, hear
Hats.
Hats, like clothes can provide hours or minutes of fun. Show them how to put
them on. Let them imitate. touch, smell, see
Toothpaste.
Not for all chimps. Brush your teeth using a childrens flavoured toothpaste.
Let them imitate you. Give them their own toothpaste. A fun and beneficial
training exercise. touch, smell, see, taste
Puzzle
Feeders. There are any number of puzzle feeders
you can make for the chimps. The important thing is that they should be
indestructible and rewarding. One of the simplest is a length of capped plastic
pipe. This is cable tied to the outside of the cage. There are holes drilled in
the top and one hole at one end on the bottom. Treats are placed in the pipe.
The only way to remove these is to insert sticks in the top holes and slide the
treats along till they fall out of the single bottom hole and so be eaten. Can
provide hours of extra activity on rainy days, in the evening. Some animals
will quickly become accomplished at this. touch, smell, see, taste
Make-up.
A safe non-toxic childrens nail varnish is easy to apply. Non toxic face paints
can be applied to hands and feet. This enrichment could be used in conjunction
with a mirror. Okay, okay its not for you...but some chimps actually like it! touch, smell, see
Ice
Cubes. On hot days the chimps enjoy ice. This
could be plain water or frozen juice or even food items frozen in layers
through the cube. We usually give the frozen juice in the containers in which
it has been frozen. The containers themselves then become an enrichment. touch, smell, see, taste
Water
Play. Fix a hose securely to the cage side.
Turn the hose on and allow the chimps a half hour or so play. They will splash,
they will spit water at you but most of all they will have fun. You can add
extra dimensions by also giving them several water containers to fill up and
carry about or set the hose on mist or jet. This is summer play. They should be
allowed to go out into the sun to dry out afterwards.....avoid cool windy
weather.
touch, smell, see,
taste, hear
Drinks.
In our zoo we have two main drinking sessions. The drink allows us the
opportunity to get a close look at all animals. They are all very individual in
their habits, some drinking several pints at each session whereas some don’t
drink for days in a row. Changes in drinking habits are an extra opportunity
for us to spot something amiss. We make drinking times more interesting by
offering a daily changing variety. Morning is a cool drink of juice, either
orange, lemon, blackcurrant, lime, apple, raspberry etc. In the evening we give
a warm drink of Horlicks, Drinking chocolate, Ovaltine or similar. This is made
up with a few pints of milk and hot water. All animals are allowed to drink as
much as they like at each session. They all have their favourite flavours. touch, smell, see, taste
Squirt
Bottle. Fill a clean empty squeezee bottle
with juice. Squirt this directly into the chimps mouth. You increase the
distance you squirt from, they will too. Fun for keeper as well as chimp. touch, smell, see, taste
Frozen
Fruit. Much appreciated on a hot day. Freeze
surplus oranges, apples, bananas. Place in outside enclosure when it is hot.
Frozen fruit juice/milk cartons work just as well. touch, smell,
see, taste
Hanging
Sheets. Put an ad in the paper or ask
zoological society members for old clean sheets. Everyone has some knocking
about somewhere. Use these along with cable ties to change the outlook of their
sleeping quarters/ day dens/ enclosures. Securely fix the sheets to all wire
surfaces obstructing normal view. If you are lucky enough to have a wire roof
on your quarters hang several sheets from these too. Hours of fun. touch, smell, see
Fan.
A fan on its own, placed a sensible distance from the cage can provide fun. The
chimpanzees will often stand in the draught catching the wind in their mouths.
Further dimensions can be added by using this in conjunction with mobiles or
wind chimes.
touch, smell, see,
taste, hear
Mobile.
Purchase several mobiles (or get your education department to make them).
Bright gaudy colours, animals, holograms. Mobile of the day. Suspend just out
of reach of the chimps. Perhaps allow
them several twigs of a length where with a little bit of patience they can
just touch and move the mobile. Why not use the mobile in conjunction with the
fan? touch, see
Juice
Holes.
Most people are familiar with wild
chimps scrunching up wads of leaves to act as a sponge and extract water from
holes in branches. You can present a similar scenario. Use a robust plastic
container with a narrow access hole and strap this securely to another item of
cage furniture. Put in your juice (orange, apple, grape, tomato, grapefruit,
cranberry, mango etc) and let the animals figure out for themselves the best
way to access this. N.B. young animals may be get their hands in and help
themselves to something the adults will need a tool to do. Make leaves or
woodwool bedding available.
touch, smell, see, taste
Boxes.
Zoos inevitably collect cardboard boxes. Why not collect together 50 or 70 or
so? Pack a den solid with them. Let the chimps burrow, bash, squash, thump and
generally have a good time. Good evening entertainment. Squashed and flattened
boxes will inevitably be used as bedding. touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Peanut
Butter/Honey Bombs. Used empty plastic drink containers
have peanut butter or honey smeared on the inside. A small amount of food
scatter is added and the container is given a shake. The food will adhere to
the walls of the container. Once you have several prepared, bomb the enclosure
when the chimps are least likely to expect it. touch, smell,
see, taste, hear
Food
Presentation.
Food is of course the one thing that
all chimps get excited about. That is, providing that it not the same
repetitive fare each day. You cannot argue that a balanced diet is good for the
body but then a varied diet is good for the mind. I would argue too that a
varied diet over a week or two more than balances itself out.
What did your chimpanzees get today?
Two typical examples for ours are as follows:
Day 1: Apples (4 varieties), Oranges,
Kiwi Fruit, Pears (3 varieties), Chestnuts, Mangoes (2 varieties), Cranberries,
Carrots, Boiled Potatoes, Red Currants, Hard Boiled Eggs, Red Cabbage, Leeks,
Onions, Fruit Loaf, Mazuri trio munch, Fresh Mint, Aubergine, Broccoli, Squash,
Garlic, Mixed Chillies, Asparagus, Sweet Potatoes, Cress, Okra, Tomatoes, Red
& Green Peppers, Strawberries, Celery, Bananas
Day 2: apples 7,700 gm, bananas 12,166
gm, sweet corn 4,928 gm, tomatoes 1,589 gms, mixed salad 550 gms, carrots 1,342
gms, lettuce 3,360 gms, melon 1776 gms, pears 672 gms, grapes 3,941 gms, celery
1, 800 gms, shallots 250 gms, pineapple 3,200 gms, guava 580 gms, artichokes
800 gms, spring onions 240 gms, dates 681 gms, dried prunes 1,750 gms, satsumas
1,394 gms, pomegranate 990 gms, alfalfa sprouts 125 gms, mixed herbs 300 gms,
wholemeal bread 2,800 gms. (Day 2 was taken from an accurately measured diet
several years ago)
The next day it was different as was
the day before. The only consistent figure was the average amount each chimp
received which was approximately 4.8 kg per day.
We do purchase fruit and veg. This is
supplemented daily by donated fruit and vegetables from supermarkets. We never
know what or how much of any item we are going to get on any day. The food
quality is high. We never present anything to our animals which we would not
eat ourselves. The excitement that feeding time creates is a pleasure to
observe. You can see their faces literally light up as they spot favourite
items. Vocalisations at this time are high. There is no aggression. We normally
feed in piles in set locations. On occasion we
will spread the feed or hide under bedding. Sometimes we will divide the
feed up and seal it up in cardboard boxes.
touch, smell, see, taste, hear
Computer.
Technology has come along a long way in recent years. Most music shops have a
stand where prospective customers can press a choice of buttons to hear music
samples. Why not offer the chimps the opportunity to do the same. The buttons
for choice could be made just that bit more robust and positioned just so the
chimps can reach them. Could be interesting. The same technology could be used
for a slide show. Perhaps configured to project on to a whole wall of the chimp
enclosure.
touch, see, hear
Slide
Shows. See above. touch, see,
hear
Music
Board. We have a plastic music board designed
for young children. Children can walk on it and each time they touch a certain
bit it plays a musical note and a little light comes on. We can change it so
that the note becomes a dog bark, a duck quack, a bell or a cats miaoow. We rig
this up outside of the chimp cage so that it is just reachable by finger. Needs
supervision. Some animals are better at it than others. All are interested. touch, see, hear
Forage/Scatter
Feed.
Scatter feed is an ongoing enrichment,
used alone or as a part of something else. Scatter mix should be constantly
changing, an ever expanding range of goodies and ideally time consuming to
collect. We only rarely use Fruit/Veg as scatter. Our staple mix consists of
parrot mix (sunflower seed, dried banana, dried fruit, peanuts in shell,
shelled peanuts, biscuit, corn), Chinchilla mix (alfalfa pellets, alfalfa
stalk, wheat extrusions, flaked peas, hipro soya, dried carrots), poultry corn,
mixed bird seed, mixed dried cat and dog food, Mazuri old world monkey (banana
flavour), Mazuri trio munch, mixed nuts in shell. As other items become
available they are added to the mix. One week it may be chestnuts and the next
it could be pecans, popcorn or dried coconut. The whole mix is made just that
bit more interesting by adding a few handfuls of sweets. We normally use
Smarties and five different flavours of Millions, but even these change and we
will include jelly babies or mini mints. Scatter feed is strictly limited. It
is not looked on as a food and quantities used kept to a minimum. touch, smell, see, taste
Birthday
Party.
Every few years we have a chimp ‘Birthday
Party’. Using plastic crates as a table we cover this with a disposable table
cloth. We then lay out the table with paper plates and cups. We give cakes,
buns and soft drinks. The whole set up looks a feast for the eyes. Once we let
the chimps out it is obvious that they think so too. Over the years we have had
a variety of reactions. It is enriching, it is fun. From a publicity point of
view it is nice to celebrate momentous events, 21st, 30th etc. The debris
afterwards can keep the animals occupied for hours. touch, smell,
see, taste, hear
Modeling
Clay.
Everyone like modeling clay. It is a
very tactile medium. Chimps like it too. They can squash it, knead it, roll it.
Make it more interesting by folding small food items like nuts and raisins into
the clay. It can take hours for them to find them all. Use natural clay, not
manufactured.
touch, smell, see, taste
Visitors.
Never thought of visitors being
enriching? They are one of the prime enrichers. Those of us who work in
‘seasonal’ zoos are only too aware of this. During the “off” season the animals
positively relish the attentions of the few visitors they see. During the peak
visiting times of year the chimps can decide for themselves if they want to
relate to people at all. They have ‘choice’ which is an important part of life.
Having ‘choice’ is enrichment in itself. It is interesting to note the empathy
between some visitors and chimps albeit through glass. The use of visitors as
enrichment can be utilised better by educational displays, particularly those
which name and identify the animals, family trees, describe behaviors and
facial gestures. see, hear
Keepers.
Keepers are enriching too. Some aren’t of course. All zoo staff should be
periodically fired with enthusiasm. Perhaps this document will give them some
ideas.
I have read, searched and consulted a
huge number of articles to come up with the list of enrichments above, though
some are original. Some of these articles and further reading in no particular
order are listed below:
Field, D.A. (Ed)(1998). “Guidelines for
Environmental Enrichment” Association of British Wild Animal Keepers
Shepherdson, D.J., Mellen, J.D.,
Hutchins, M. (Eds)1998 “Second Nature - Environmental Enrichment for Captive
Animals” Smithsonian Institution Press
Johnson, S. (Coordinator) (2000).
“Enrichment Workbook For Sacramento Zoo Volunteers” Sacramento Zoological
Society
The Newsletter
Published by The Primate Foundation of
Arizona, P.O.Box 20027, Mesa, Arizona 85277-0027
Folsom City Zoo Behavioural Enrichment
Guidebook
Poole, T., Law, G. “Inexpensive ways of
improving zoo enclosures for mammals” International Academy of Animal Welfare
Science, UFAW, Potters Bar, UK
Brent, L., (Ed) (2001) “The Care and
Management of Captive Chimpanzees” A Publication of the American Society of
Primatologists
The
Shape of Enrichment
http://www.enrichment.org/
The Care and Management of Chimpanzees in Captive Environments
http://www.nagonline.net/Diets%20pdf/Chimpanzee%20Nutrition.pdf
ANIMAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
http://www.csew.com/enrich/
http://www.csew.com/enrich/
The Honolulu Zoo's
Animal Environmental Enrichment Program
Animal Environmental Enrichment Program
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/enrichment_activities.htm
Enrichment Online
http://www.enrichmentonline.org/help/index.asp
Environmental
Enrichment Scrapbook
http://www.well.com/user/abs/dbs/eesb/
Primate Enrichment Network
http://primate-enrichment.net/
Enrichment and Occupational Devices
for Orang utans and Chimpanzees
for Orang utans and Chimpanzees
http://www.awionline.org/Lab_animals/biblio/izn-mur.htm
REASONS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MANIPULATING CAPTIVE PRIMATES'
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS
http://www.ufaw.org.uk/journal/Volume.2%20abstracts.htm
Evaluation of a chimpanzee enrichment enclosure
http://www.awionline.org/Lab_animals/biblio/jmp20-2.htm
http://www.awionline.org/Lab_animals/biblio/jmp20-2.htm
CAPTIVE CHIMPANZEES - Enrichment programs
http://www.faunafoundation.org/sanct/chimps/captive.html
The Foraging Behavior Enrichment of Primates in Taipei Zoo
http://www.seaza.org/Conference/7th_conference/scientific_papers/foraging_behavior_enrichment_of_.htm
CARING FOR CHIMPANZEES
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/NH_Zoo_Magnet/earthwatch/caring_chimp_ellman.html
Environmental Enrichment - Primate Enrichment
http://www.zooregon.org/Cards/Enrichment/exhibit_enrich.htm#Primate
Environmental Enrichment
(EE) for Captive Animals
http://www.iwec.org/enrichment.htm
Care and Enrichment
http://www.srprc.org/srprc/enrichment.html
Working for Chimp Change
http://www.savethechimps.org/news_stpete.asp
http://www.savethechimps.org/news_stpete.asp
LUCY'S CHOICE PRIMATE LINKS
http://veederandld.20m.com/primates.html
Ropes as Environmental Enrichment for Captive Chimpanzees (Pan
troglodytes): Sex Similarities in Use
http://lsvl.la.asu.edu/ubep99/abstracts/abst58/
Environmental Enrichment Information Resources for Nonhuman
Primates
http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/primates/primenv.htm
Primate Enrichment Network
http://primate-enrichment.net/
Using Inexpensive Feeding Equipment and Techniques for Primate
Enrichment
http://www.psyeta.org/hia/vol8/rice.html
Articles on Environmental Enrichment and Psychological Well-Being
http://www.brown.edu/Research/Primate/enrich.html
Environmental Enrichment for Primates
http://www.awionline.org/lab_animals/biblio/enrich.htm
Environmental Enrichment for Nonhuman Primates Resource Guide
http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/primates/primate.htm
FINAL REPORT ON ENVIRONMENT ENHANCEMENT TO PROMOTE THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF NONHUMAN PRIMATES
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/eejuly15.html
Environmental Enrichment -- Operant Conditioning
http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/owagner.html
CHIMPANZEE PROGRAM OF CARE
http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuchci/standards%20of%20care/soc5.htm
Section of Language and Intelligence
http://www.pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/koudou-shinkei/shikou/reference/ref01.htm
Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group
http://www.lpag.org/mentalHealth/mentalHealthHome.html
The
Primates Home Page
http://www.geocities.com/willc7/index.html
Emory University Policy On Environmental Enrichment For Nonhuman
Primates
http://www.emory.edu/IACUC/pdfs/EEPolicyNHP.pdf
Caring
for Chimpanzees
http://www.earthwatch.org/expeditions/fouts_02/theproject.html
Chimp Challenge:It’s Play With A Purpose For Non-Human and Human
Primates
http://www.azadocents.org/Chimp_challenge.pdf
SOCIAL
ENRICHMENT
http://www.cwu.edu/%7Ecwuchci/enrichment.html
http://www.cwu.edu/%7Ecwuchci/enrichment.html
Animal
Communication:the Ape language Controversy
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/twyford/73/opening.html
Language
in Apes:How Much Do They Know and How Much Should We Teach Them
http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/%7Edmswitze/apelang.html
Chimpanzees
Use of Sign Language
http://friendsofwashoe.org/textsite/chimpuseofsignt.htm
Enrichment
at CHCI
http://friendsofwashoe.org/textsite/enrichmentt.htm
I know that this list of
links is not exhaustive because I have gone through dozens more. Several of
these websites also have extensive lists
of paper references. I am sure you have many ideas of your own.
Please, I encourage you to
feel free to distribute this current article (either by forwarding over the
internet or printing out and posting it), unedited, as widely as possible. The
more animals that benefit the better. Thank You.
Peter Dickinson
Suite 201,
Westminster Chambers
7 Hunter Street
Chester
CH1 2AR
United Kingdom
Suite 201,
Westminster Chambers
7 Hunter Street
Chester
CH1 2AR
United Kingdom
Dubai: ++ 971 (0)50 4787 122
Skype: peter.dickinson48
Written in December 2002 - current email is:
elvinhow@gmail.com
Thanks for the blog, got some new ideas I can try on the chimps and other primates I work with!
ReplyDelete