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[Columbia, SC] - ‘Tis the season for giving, so this year Riverbanks’ staff will treat the animals to their very own 12 days of holiday cheer. Join Riverbanks Zoo and Garden between 10am and 3pm, December 13 through 24, and experience the joy of animal enrichment with all of the trimmings.
“The staff at Riverbanks continuously strives to provide enrichment to our animal collection. This holiday season we decided to play off of the song 12 Days of Christmas and present 12 different animals with treats on 12 consecutive days,” said Sue Pfaff, assistant curator of mammals at Riverbanks. “This is a fun way to educate the public and get the community involved.”
Acting as Santa’s elves, for 12 straight days the staff will present the animals with gift boxes stuffed with treats, festive papier-mâché creations, and cardboard cut outs of snowmen and candy canes adorned with pieces of sugar-free candy. The 12 Days of Holiday Cheer kick off tomorrow with enrichment for the warthogs. The schedule for activities is as follows:
| December 13 |
Warthogs |
| December 14 |
Lions and Tigers |
| December 15 |
Yellow Monitors |
| December 16 |
Gorillas |
| December 17 |
Grizzlies |
| December 18 |
Meerkats |
| December 19 |
Goats |
| December 20 |
Siamangs |
| December 21 |
Bats and Monkeys |
| December 22 |
Baboons |
| December 23 |
Elephants |
| December 24 |
Macaws, Hornbills and Vultures |
Enrichment activities stimulate the animals’ senses and encourage their natural behavior. The physical and mental stimulation brought about by these activities help maintain and enhance the health and well being of our animals. Enrichment encounters typically draw a popular crowd and provide rare photo opportunities.
Are you inspired by the thought of enriching Riverbanks’ animals? Help fulfill our holiday enrichment wish list by donating items such as toy kongs, legos, balls and even woven baskets. The holiday wish list is located on the Animal Enrichment at Riverbanks page at www.riverbanks.org under the conservation and care section. Donations can be sent to Enrichment for the Holidays, c/o Riverbanks Society, PO Box 1060, Columbia, SC 29202-1060.
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