Fighting over the presents already
Domestic pets can wreck festive displays with their curiosity and their agility. Imagine how much worse it would be if your house cat was two metres long and weighed 100 kilos…
These images taken at Paignton Zoo show the zoo’s rare Sumatran tigers Fabi, Shakira and Lucu having fun with an animal-friendly Christmas tree.
The three ripped into their presents with ease, though they do have the advantage of large claws and big teeth.
Male Fabi is 11 years old and weighs around 100 kilos.
Female Shakira (16) is around 70 kilos, while their two-year-old cub Lucu also tips the scales at 100 kilos. The novel sight and smell of the tree, including paper chains made with harmless flour and water paste and presents with small amounts of raw meat inside is part of a rolling programme of environmental enrichment.
The aim is to stimulate animals mentally and physically in various ways. Paignton Zoo spokesman Phil Knowling said: “It’s the sort of thing responsible pet owners can do with their pets.
“While we apply more science to enrichment, the idea of giving animals things to play with can be extended to cats, dogs, horses and cows.”