Animals 'carve' pumpkins for Hallowe'en
Posted on 29 October 2010
Big cats, chimpanzees, lemurs, penguins and even rhinos will all be given the festive treat as part of University of York Environment Department research aimed at studying animal behaviour and developing the complexity of zoo exhibits.
The pumpkins will be placed in the Flamingo Land animal enclosures on Friday 29 October. Previous attempts at feeding pumpkins to animals have produced wonderful responses including pouncing, playing and scrapping to get at the new toys.
Developing wild new ideas like this is all part of the daily routine of a zoo keeper. Modern zoo exhibits are constantly changing to provide the animals with as much variety as possible.
Dr. Andrew Marshall
The investigation is part of the activities of three Research Interns based in the University of York’s new CIRCLE institute (Centre for the Integration of Research, Conservation and Learning), based at Flamingo Land. This institute under joint funding from the University of York and Flamingo Land is aiming to develop the scientific role of the modern zoo.
Flamingo Land’s Director of Conservation Science and University of York Research Fellow Dr. Andrew Marshall said: "Developing wild new ideas like this is all part of the daily routine of a zoo keeper. Modern zoo exhibits are constantly changing to provide the animals with as much variety as possible. This together with other animal behaviour experiments at Flamingo Land is helping us to put together a scientifically driven management strategy for all our animals, while also raising awareness of the valuable work that modern zoos are involved in."
Flamingo Land is particularly keen to see the reaction of the penguins, recently re-housed as a result of University of York research. The exhibit is still in development, but the penguins are already settled in their new home. With one of the biggest penguin pools in the UK they are now swimming more than ever, despite the building work going on around them.
Notes to editors:
- Photocall: Dr Andrew Marshall and University of York students will distribute pumpkins at Flamingo Land on 29 October at the following times: 10am Baboons; 11am Penguins/Rhinos; 12 noon Lions/Tigers; 1pm Chimpanzees. Please call 07725 010100 if you plan to attend.
- The University of York is a world top 100 university, recently ranked second in the world for environmental science and ecology (Times Higher Education). www.york.ac.uk/environment.
- Flamingo Land is a North Yorkshire theme park, home to the UK’s most popular zoo (enjoyEngland.com). www.flamingoland.co.uk.
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