EnrichBits: A monthly look at animal enrichment

Ok, enough about animal enrichment. It’s time to talk about keeper enrichment!! The idea is the same– animal keepers with choice and changes in their routines are happier creatures! Sherry gives all of us keepers opportunities to change up our routines now and again by giving us the chance to get off museum grounds (or at least out of the animal department area) and do something a little different.
Jill, Katy, Erin, and Cassidy got to visit the Carolina Raptor Center a few months ago to learn more about birds of prey. Kent often will get out of his routine by helping with various projects like the Gecko Naming Contest that we participated in. Marilyn has traveled to pick up and drop off animals to places like the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park (to pick up ducks) and Alligator River (to drop off our brother wolves). Larry researched enrichment at the Virgina Living Museum. Cassidy and I were enriched keepers most recently, when we went to pick up our new female wolf at the RDU airport– she flew in from Texas. Check out the video that our Director of Nano Education and Munch Cam producer, Brad, made of us picking her up.
Getting the chance to do different and unusual things in your job keeps things interesting and fun!