2008 Annual Report - Denver Zoo

asis during the growing season. Behind Tropical Discovery, approximately300 square feet of cold frames and raised beds are planted for the benefit ofherbivores. The howler monkeys in Tropical Discovery are enthusiastic recipients,for example, especially when offered homegrown carrots and grapes. There areanother 900 square feet of raised garden beds behind the great ape exhibitthat produce two to four bushels of fresh produce each week. Even though thezoo purchases top quality fruits and vegetables from local suppliers, like manyof us, the animals know the difference. We discovered years ago that althoughour orangutans don’t like “store bought” turnips, they love turnips grown andharvested on zoo grounds.Providing nutritional and enriching items takes place all year. Twelve flats ofwheat are grown at the greenhouse every week and enjoyed by a multitude ofanimals: from guinea pigs to gorillas, felines, pachyderms, bears, and hoofstock.A cartload of branches from a variety of trees and shrubs is harvested five daysper week for our hairy and furry friends throughout the zoo. This material is eaten,played with, and utilized in nest building. Nest material is also provided for ourfeathered friends by planting preferred plant species (over and over) so that theycan build their nests, or by cutting grasses and branches that are of suitable sizefor them to exploit in their construction process. Tropical plants such as bananas,heliconias, and bamboo are harvested year round and given to our pachydermsand primates; and both tropical and hardy bamboo is enjoyed by our red pandas.Kitchen scraps collected from the Commissary and Animal Departments are notonly used to make compost for our gardens, they’re also a vital ingredient in ourvermiculture project that takes place in Tropical Discovery. Over the last four39