Things are getting egg-stra exciting ahead of Easter this year at Banham Zoo, where keepers have been busy preparing a basketful of seasonal surprises for animals across the zoo.
In the run-up to the big day, a whole host of residents from mighty Mishka the Amur tiger to cheeky Kobi the black-footed penguin, energetic lemurs, and even the delightful donkeys Vinny and Violet have been treated to specially crafted, animal-safe “Easter eggs”.
The handcrafted Easter Eggs are filled with tasty treats, intriguing scents, and hidden goodies. These enrichments are designed to encourage animals to sniff, search, pounce, and play. Mishka, the Amur tiger, made light work of her Easter egg, gleefully smashing it apart to uncover the treats inside, while the ever-quick meerkats, Grub, Goose and Gollum, proved just how speedy they are, darting in to snatch their rewards in record time.
Shen, the snow leopard, showed off his incredible agility, leaping high into the air to snatch his Easter egg in one swift move. While Belle, the cotton-top tamarin, took a more relaxed approach, carefully investigating her treat at her own pace.
Kobi, the black-footed penguin, was all over the snacks (fish, his favourite), wasting no time tucking into the tasty treats, though the egg itself proved far less interesting.
Enrichment is a vital part of animal care, supporting both the physical and psychological well-being of species. By introducing stimulating elements such as novel scents, hidden food, or puzzle-based activities, enrichment encourages animals to express natural behaviours, including foraging, hunting, problem-solving, and play.
Sophie Imhof, Bird Team Leader at Banham Zoo, said, “Our black-footed penguins, along with our Chilean flamingos, have absolutely loved getting stuck into the Easter egg enrichment; it’s been brilliant to watch them all tackle it in their own ways. Anything with fish is an instant win for the penguins, so they were straight in and didn’t hang about! As a critically endangered species, it’s important for us to shine a light on them and the challenges they face in the wild. We’re really looking forward to encouraging guests to get to know them better with the bird animal talks over Easter, and can’t wait to welcome everyone to our Easter Gone Wild event.”
Hurry! The Kids Go Free offer for the Easter Holidays ends this week!
Visitors can join in on all the Easter fun this Easter holiday at our Easter Gone Wild event and take full advantage of Banham Zoo’s Kids Go Free Easter offer when booking online before 22 March.
Just use the code KIDSGOFREE when booking online. Book here: https://www.banhamzoo.co.uk/easter
We look forward to welcoming families this Easter holiday to join in on all the fun and get egg-stra close to conservation!
https://www.banhamzoo.co.uk/