ARGENTINA: Zoo animals in Buenos Aires are treated to Christmas trees, stockings and gifts
Record ID:
446756
ARGENTINA: Zoo animals in Buenos Aires are treated to Christmas trees, stockings and gifts
- Title: ARGENTINA: Zoo animals in Buenos Aires are treated to Christmas trees, stockings and gifts
- Date: 9th December 2011
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 08, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHIMPANZEES SASHA AND KANGU EATING FRUIT VARIOUS OF SASHA AND KANGU FIGHTING OVER CHRISTMAS STOCKING VARIOUS OF SASHA IGNORING GIFTS AND EATING GRASS VARIOUS OF MARTIN STEALING GIFT AND GOING TO CAVE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ZOO BIOLOGIST JOVANA TONINI "We usually set up the Christmas tree during these days in our houses. So we wanted to give gifts to our animals, making trees for them with games via something we call environmental enrichment. Everyday, lots of people work on stimulating and looking for situations that these animals would find in nature if they were in the wild." VARIOUS OF TIGER RIANO TRYING TO OPEN BALL RIANO STICKING NOSE IN BALL RIANO EATING PERSON TAKING PICTURE VARIOUS OF ORANGUTAN SANDRA EATING BANANA FROM STOCKING SANDRA OPENS GIFTS AND SMELLS THEM SANDRA TAKING BLANKET AND HIDING AMONGST PARTS OF CHRISTMAS TREE
- Embargoed: 24th December 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVABV8L0K0H7QK7CD7HQ45BV4QIF
- Story Text: Zoo animals in Buenos Aires kicked off the holiday season on Thursday (December 08) with Christmas trees, gifts and stockings stuffed with their favourite foods.
In the chimpanzee pen, mother Sasha and her five-year-old daughter Kangu ate fruit placed in the cage by handlers.
The two scrapped over Christmas stockings, with Sasha winning the upper hand. But Sasha seemed to lose interest in the gifts quickly, settling on her daily diet of grass.
Martin, the father of the chimpanzee family, made a brief appearance to get his portion before retiring to his cave.
Jovana Tonini, a zoo biologist, explained that the games are set up to mimic animal activities in the wild.
"We usually set up the Christmas tree during these days in our houses. So we wanted to give gifts to our animals, making trees for them with games via something we call environmental enrichment. Everyday, lots of people work on stimulating and looking for situations that these animals would find in nature if they were in the wild," she said.
Meanwhile in the tiger cage, Riano, a five-year-old Bengal tiger with a big appetite, tore into balls stuffed with meat.
It didn't take him long to get to the middle of the balls as onlookers clicked pictures.
An orangutan named Sandra also got in on the action, pulling bananas and other favourite fruits from a stocking.
Argentines traditionally set up their Christmas trees on December 8, a national holiday in honour of the Virgin Mary. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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