Zoosare responsible for more than keep enclosures blank andanimalswell - fed . Tending to their residents ’ genial health is just as important . The Smithsonian ’s National Zoo take a creative approach to this in 2017 when zookeepers gave animals musical instruments .
The video above features several improbable musician , include a slothfulness bear playing a mouth harp , otter playing an electric forte-piano , and an Pongo pygmaeus represent the xylophone . The Washington , D.C. , zoo was n’t trying to discover the nextkeyboard Arabian tea . As Scripps News ( formerly Newsy ) reported at the time , the goal was enrichment , a practice session in which zookeepers introduce novel form of genial foreplay to animals . Such objects do n’t have to be limited to instruments . Toys , food , and even recycledChristmas treescan be used as entertainment . The mind is to give the animals a mental challenge or exercise and sharpen skills that are n’t necessarily used in zoo options .
It might be heavy to believe that a acedia bear can have her brain by playing the harmonica , but enrichment has proven benefits . The activities have been show to melt off the likeliness of repetitive behavior , such as pacing or swim in circles , grant to Scripps . Astudy from 2011published in theJournal of Animal Sciencefound that environmental enrichment reduced stress - related behavior in imprisoned animal . to boot , enrichment had atherapeutic , anxiety - relieving impression . The specific benefits include ennui prevention , improved problem - solving skills , and increased confidence .
At the Smithsonian ’s National Zoo , animal care teams provide at least five types of enrichment — forage , exploration , cognitive , sensational , and tool role , calculate on the coinage — to enhance an animate being ’s surroundings and encourage natural behaviour . you could get word more about their approaching on theirwebsite . And if you ’re concerned in hearing more nonhuman musicians , check out this mushroomplaying a keyboard through electronic sensors .
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