Environmental Enrichment

“What is an enriched environment? It is one that allows animals to perform natural behaviors, gives animals control over their lives, eliminates frustration, makes captive environments more interesting, gives animals more choice, and allows animals to be more active. Enrichment of the enclosure involves the physical environment including shape, size and complexity. Complexity consists of an animal environment such as visual barriers, climbing or traveling structures, substrates, rest/sleep areas and temporal complexity. Manipulable objects such as toys and vegetation, the opportunity to use five senses, and the social environment are all beneficial to the animal. The types of food offered, the frequency and presentation play a large role in enriching the lives of our captive charges."
(Grams, K. 2000. Exhibitry and Enrichment of North American River Otters (Lontra canadensis) at The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 27, No. 4. Quotation is referencing a presentation given by D. Shepherdson & J. Mellen at the First Environmental Enrichment Conference in Portland, Oregon, 1992.)


Need some examples?

Woodland Park Zoo has some beautifully enriched environments! The enclosures are spacious and filled (as much as possible) with the types of plants and terrain that would be found in an animal's natural environment.

Check out the bear enclosure! They have plenty of space to move around, and can interact with their environment in a relatively normal way. You can't see it here, but they even have a pool to swim in!
  
Grizzly bears at Woodland Park Zoo, Photo: "snowlepoard"


 The African enclosure mimics the savannah, and includes several species that would commonly interact in the wild.





 African savannah exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo, Photo: "nerdgirl99"


 
 Another type of enrichment involves including objects that an animal may not find in its natural environment, but which are mentally stimulating and keep the animals from getting bored.......like BALLS!
(or pumpkins, check this out!)

 Polar bear at Budapest Zoo, Photo: EPA
 
 Polar bear at Pittsburgh Zoo, Photo: Heather Mull.



For the sake of thoroughness, un-enriched environments look like this:
  
Chimpanzee cage "Ghost Zoo" in Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Sam Whitbread

 
  Sun bear cage "Ghost Zoo" in Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Sam Whitbread

Animals kept long-term in enclosures like the one above tend to be unhappy, more sickly, lethargic, and more aggressive.