Text by Natalie Lian Qian Wei (Intern Student, University Science Malaysia)
Photos by Natalie Lian Qian Wei & Chiew Lin May
Enrichment come in the forms of toys or treats for animals. Although it may look like something insignificant, this is not true at all! Enrichment are especially vital for bears that were previously kept as pets and were rescued, as these bears were unable to learn essential survival skills. Enrichment encourage them to exhibit natural bear behaviours, such as climbing, foraging, and digging.
In BSBCC, there are five types of enrichment which are enclosure enrichment, foraging enrichment, sensory enrichment, novel objects, and social enrichment.
Enclosure enrichment are structures that allow for activities such as climbing and resting. In BSBCC, these enrichment are made of materials such as tyres, firehoses, and woods.
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| This is Kina on a hammock made of firehose |
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| Logan on a climbing structure made of wood |
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| Ronnie with a cub platform! |
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| This is called a nestball, made up of food items such as fruits and spices wrapped in plant materials |
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| This is called a nestball, made up of food items such as fruits and spices wrapped in plant materials |
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| Hello bear, here is an egg carton parcel for you! |
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| The bears will eat the banana leaves |
Sensory enrichment help to sharpen the senses of bears, such as gustation and olfaction.
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| Ronnie with ginger leaves- A scented plant |
Novel object enrichment provide bears with the opportunity to explore and play with new items.
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| Hi, I am Bermuda and I am playing with the Aussie Dog Ball.. upside down! |
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| Sunbearo with a Kong toy |
Social enrichment encourages social interaction between bears. It is good to have friends!
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| BJ and Kina - Integration of bears |
Enrichment are very important as they help to reduce boredom and stress. When the bears are bored or stressed, pacing can be observed and the bears will move in a stereotypic motion. Enrichment can help to keep them occupied and contented.
New ideas of enrichment are always welcomed! Yet, bear in mind that there are also a few factors that need to be taken into consideration. An enrichment must always be safe for the bears, thus we need to avoid sharp objects and toxic plants. To make an enrichment, we must also first observe the behaviour of the bears, so that we know what is suitable for them. For example, wood can be given to bears that have long claws, to encourage them to dig and at the same time help to wear down their claws.
New ideas of enrichment are always welcomed! Yet, bear in mind that there are also a few factors that need to be taken into consideration. An enrichment must always be safe for the bears, thus we need to avoid sharp objects and toxic plants. To make an enrichment, we must also first observe the behaviour of the bears, so that we know what is suitable for them. For example, wood can be given to bears that have long claws, to encourage them to dig and at the same time help to wear down their claws.
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| Kala the bear exploring dead wood |
I believe satisfaction can be felt when the bears enjoy the enrichment that we made for them, not forgetting to mention that they look so cute when they are playing or eating! Preparing enrichment is actually a fun activity for the keepers and volunteers too.
Dear readers, I hope you will be able to get an idea of what enrichment are, thank you for reading!
Dear readers, I hope you will be able to get an idea of what enrichment are, thank you for reading!
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