This is a competition that students have to research and design an enrichment toy for a zoo animal. This year’s animals are meerkats or chimpanzees
This competition is open to all Primary-Y10 students. Entries must be in by 2 July.
About the BP Zoo Challenge
A few years ago, zoo enrichment programmes were a novelty. Now they have become accepted practice. The goals of behavioural enrichment are to:
- Encourage animals to use their natural abilities
- Increase their activity
- Allow them to make choices
- Give them new experiences.
Animals in a stimulating environment have fewer physical problems, breed more successfully, are better parents and live longer.
Challenges and stimulation make animal life in captivity more normal and visitors are more likely to see natural behaviour from behaviourally-enriched animals.
Food, or rather the way an animal gains access to food is a major component of behavioural enrichment. Presenting food in a way that makes animals search, forage, climb, jump and cooperate, will stimulate them.
http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/competitions/bp-challenge/zoo-challenge/2010/about/
