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Now that the holidays are over, people around the world are putting away decorations and discarding their Christmas trees. To save real pines from the landfill and reduce waste, zoos in Europe are turning discarded Christmas trees into enriching experiences for their animals.
The Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in the UK has been running their Christmas tree recycling initiative for five years now. Every January, they ask their patrons to drop off their trees, free from decorations and lights, at the zoo. Since the program was launched, the zoo has received about 15,000 trees. Animals big and small benefit from this project, as they can get a new plaything, an unusual snack, or an addition to their enclosure that is sure to pique their interest.
“Chippings from the trees are used in the Andean Adventure habitat, where our spectacled bears Madidi, Rasu, Tuichi, and Beni delight in the fresh scents and textures, much like the seasonal joy we feel with Christmas trees in our homes,” writes the team. “Elsewhere at the zoo, rhinos and meerkats enjoy the festive addition of tree mulch, with their keepers burying food beneath the chippings to encourage natural foraging behaviors.”
Elephants also get to play with several untouched trees, as their habitat is turned into a temporary forest. “Our African Bull Elephants savor the branches as a festive treat and enjoy foraging through piles of chippings for hidden snacks,” the zoo explains. “Branches from Christmas trees add a seasonal twist to their diet of willow and other tree foliage, ensuring they benefit from both nutrition and enrichment.”
Chris Wilkinson, the zoo’s curator, told the BBC that the trees provide a brand new sensory experience for the animals in general. “The trees have a really nice smell that they’re not used to, so some of the animals will have a good rub against them,” he explains.
Meanwhile, the Berlin Zoo takes in unsold Christmas trees from select vendors, as opposed to accepting donations as a precaution, since the tress could have leftover decorations or chemicals. This year, the giraffes at this zoo got a unique treat, as the trees were hung upside down in their enclosure for them to inspect and nibble at.
“They don’t just serve as food, they are also used to keep the animals occupied,” Florian Sicks, the zoo’s curator for mammals, told AP. “The animals can fight with them, they can rub themselves against them, they can throw themselves over them and do various other things with these fir trees. And so we enrich the animals’ everyday lives, which they are very happy about.”
To reduce waste, zoos in Europe are turning discarded Christmas trees into enriching experiences for their animals.
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Every January, the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farms ask their patrons to drop off their Christmas trees.
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In the five years since the program was launched, they’ve received 15,000 trees.
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Animals big and small benefit from this project, as they can get a new plaything, an unusual snack, or an addition to their enclosure that is sure to pique their interest.
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Meanwhile, the Berlin Zoo takes in unsold Christmas trees from select vendors.
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“They don’t just serve as food, they are also used to keep the animals occupied,” says Florian Sicks, the zoo’s curator for mammals.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm: Website | Instagram
Berlin Zoo: Website | Instagram
Sources: Christmas Tree Recycling 2024; The zoo that will recycle your old Christmas tree; It’s Christmas for the elephants as unsold trees are fed to the animals at Berlin Zoo
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