What's a Polar Bear Doing in the Tropics? - Animal Concerns ...
What's a Polar Bear Doing in the Tropics? - Animal Concerns ...
What's a Polar Bear Doing in the Tropics? - Animal Concerns ...
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APPENDIX VII: GUIDELINES FOR ENRICHMENTPROGRAMMESWSPA• <strong>Polar</strong> bears shall have various enrichment objects available, <strong>the</strong>seshall vary <strong>in</strong> shape, size, texture and colour. A m<strong>in</strong>imum of 10 objectsshould be available <strong>in</strong> one enclosure and at least one per <strong>in</strong>dividual.All non-consumable and consumable enrichment items should besupplies <strong>in</strong> sufficient amounts to occupy all <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> exhibit.• Environmental enrichment shall be a priority for daily husbandry, i.e.time, facilities and budget shall be appropriate or <strong>the</strong> welfare of <strong>the</strong>animals.• Enrichment is a necessity <strong>in</strong> all bear enclosures, also large naturalenclosures.TAG• Day-to-day enrichment is only effective if stimuli/objects arefrequently changed.• For polar bears, <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g feed<strong>in</strong>g enrichment techniques arerecommended: ice blocks with food <strong>in</strong> different sized buckets withouthandles; ice blocks with food <strong>in</strong> large tubs; fish or nuts <strong>in</strong> a plastic canwith small open<strong>in</strong>gs; whole cucumbers or melons; branches; honey,ketchup or mayonnaise smeared <strong>in</strong> or on traffic cones or buckets;bones of cattle or horses; hides.ABWAK• For polar bears enrichment items that <strong>in</strong>duce play and more social<strong>in</strong>teraction should be <strong>in</strong>troduced, as well as greater use of <strong>the</strong>enclosure and a higher level of activity. The objects should be ofvary<strong>in</strong>g shape, size, colour and texture and offered with a m<strong>in</strong>imum of10 objects <strong>in</strong> an enclosure. Always provide at least one object per<strong>in</strong>dividual.UFAW• <strong>Animal</strong>s have more of a choice and a sense of control of <strong>the</strong>irenvironment if <strong>the</strong>y have a wide variety of objects to choose between.Moveable objects should on a regular basis be removed and <strong>in</strong>troducedto <strong>the</strong> enclosure <strong>in</strong> order to stimulate exploratory and playbehaviours.• With large food items and <strong>in</strong>edible play objects enough should beprovided to activate all <strong>in</strong>dividuals at <strong>the</strong> same time.What’s a polar bear do<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tropics?97www.acres.org.sg