WVXU: How UC students are challenging zoo animals
WVXU profiled work by University of Cincinnati honors students to help provide enrichment for animals at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
Students are working with UC Forward to come up with novel games and devices that stimulate curiosity and elicit natural behaviors in the animals.
For example, students made a game out of nested PVC pipes that reward rhinoceros hornbills with grapes when they pull strings to line them up correctly. Another device for tigers has built-in speakers and lights.
And students made a Plexiglas browse box for giraffes that requires them to use their dexterous tongues to move Wiffle Balls out of the way to reach a food reward.
Featured image at top: A Malayan tiger inspects an enrichment device playing music at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative Services
University of Cincinnati honors students show off the devices they made for the rhinoceros hornbills in the World of Birds at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Photo/Joesph Fuqua II/UC Creative Services
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