Two young bears are searching for food that keepers hid in the toys as part of an environmental enrichment program.
Two young bears are searching for food that keepers hid in the toys as part of an environmental enrichment program.
A way to counter the bears' unnatural behavior is by breaking up the food routine and challenging the bears’ cognitive abilities. By hiding food in natural surroundings and toys, the bears are challenged and encouraged to use their senses in order to find the food. Hope is that over time the bears will adapt a daily routine more similar to their natural behavior this way. However, the food related problems are not just about how, but also what they eat. Most of the bears suffered from severe malnutrition in their former captivity which is now countered with a special diet suited to their individual needs.