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ENRICHMENT PROJECT 

Enrichment for animals in captivity refers to the provision of an environment and activities that promote the physical and psychological well-being of animals living in a captive setting. 

Enrichment programs aim to replicate or simulate the natural environment of animals and provide opportunities for them to engage in activities that they would normally do in the wild, such as foraging, exploring, and socialising. This can be achieved through a variety of means, including providing naturalistic habitats, offering a varied diet, providing toys or objects for exploration, and creating opportunities for social interaction with other animals or with humans. 

Project Goals:

  • Enrichment activities will aim to reduce stress and boredom, improving physical and mental health, and promoting natural behaviours. 

  • By providing animals with a stimulating and engaging environment, enrichment can help improve their overall welfare and quality of life in captivity. 

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Project Timeline: 

The project started in Jan 2021 and will be an ongoing project for as long as the sanctuary is operating. 

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Resources needed:

  • Puzzle feeders - These are food-dispensing devices that require animals to solve puzzles or manipulate objects in order to access their food. This can help stimulate their minds and encourage natural foraging behaviour. 

  • Toys - Toys can be used to provide animals with opportunities for play and exploration. Examples include balls, ropes, and stuffed animals. 

  • Climbing structures - Climbing structures can be used to create vertical spaces for animals to explore and play in. These can include tree trunks, ropes, and platforms. 

  • Scented items - Scented items can be used to provide animals with novel smells and stimulate their senses. Examples include herbs, spices, and essential oils. 

  • Novel objects - Providing animals with new and interesting objects to explore can help keep them mentally stimulated and engaged. Examples include cardboard boxes, paper bags, and logs. 

  • Water features - Water features such as pools or sprinklers can provide animals with opportunities to cool off, play, and engage in natural behaviours such as swimming or splashing. 

  • Variety of food - A varied diet can stimulate natural behaviour, mental stimulation, have health benefits and prevent boredom. Examples include feeding whole carcasses instead of cut pieces of meat, rodents, coconut, pumpkin, honey, meaty bones and frozen blocks of meat juices.  

Budget:  

R20.00 - R5000.00

PER ENCLOSURE

A detailed budget and any allocations of contributions made to this project can be made available for anyone to see. Please contact us if you require more information.

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