IF YOU GIVE A GORILLA A CHRISTMAS TREE . . .
Toronto Zoo keepers fill trees with treats, then watch the fun as animals investigate
Ngozi, an 18-year-old female gorilla, checks out a tree after watching as younger zoomate Johari find some fruit treats inside. A few exhibits away, ring-tailed lemurs scamper to gnaw on branches and collect fruit hidden in their tree. For Juno, the zoo’s 1-year-old polar bear, two trees hide a tasty collection of fish, then provide a springy place to play,
Josephine seems a tad confused. The 46-year-old gorilla climbs over the little hillock in her enclosure. Her face wears a curious look as her long fingers pluck at the tree needles.
It’s a cold Tuesday in January and, perhaps she wonders, what are Christmas trees doing here?
“I don’t think they even really know what Christmas is,” says gorilla keeper Heidi Manicki Claffey with a chuckle. “Or they’re probably thinking we haven’t seen them in a while.”
The Toronto Zoo gets a donation of unused Christmas trees every year. This year, a Home Depot in Hamilton donated 109 trees.
“Providing these trees to our animals provides a novel enrichment opportunity,” says Jaap Wensvoort a zoo wildlife nutritionist. “Having access to the trees allows animals to better express their natural behaviours, which is directly related to their individual well-being and animal health in general.”
Johari, a 15-year-old female gorilla sits on the edge of the hillock and pulls up the tree with one hand.
“It took two of us to haul it out,” says Claffey watching Johari lay out the tree before her in one lazy sweep.
Johari is looking for treats hidden by keepers in the tree. She shakes it. A few pieces of fruit fall out.
A few exhibits away, polar-bear keeper Tim McCaskie slides over the ice as he drags a Christmas tree behind him. Somewhere behind those heavy doors 1-year-old Juno is waiting to get into the enclosure.
McCaskie slips back and, a few minutes later, 112-kg of ivory fur lumbers out. Juno glides over the ice, her paws providing her the perfect grip and claws giving her traction.
Juno seems thrilled with the new toy in her exhibit. She jumps on the springy tree. She walks around. She sniffs the air. Life is good.