Animal Enrichment Day: A Look into Creature Comforts!

Date: Sunday August 26, 2012
Time: noon-4pm

Water, check! Shelter, check! Food, check... Is that all there is when it comes to caring for animals? Not even close at the Edmonton Valley Zoo! Animal Enrichment Day: A Look into Creature Comforts demonstrates why enrichment is vital to every animal's well being, wild or tame.

Check out the Creature Comforts touch table to learn all about these enrichments, why they are important, and what they look like! After you have learn all about the enrichments play “Spot the Enrichment” Bingo – try and find enrichments in animal enclosures – they could be objects, sounds, smells or tastes! Next, stop by the craft station to help build an animal enrichment that will be used later in the day for one of the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s resident animals or make an enrichment for your pet at home! “Get Closer” with animal encounters and the Animal Enrichment Day Presentations! On your way out make sure to let us know how your life was enriched by writing on our Enrichment Board! Come spend the afternoon at the Edmonton Valley Zoo - the perfect way to “enrich” your day!

Activities from noon - 4pm inclusive

Animal Enrichment Crafts (Learning Lair) - Help make enrichments for the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s resident animals and your own!
Animal Airbrushed Tattoos with the Purple Team! (Saito Centre) - Enrich your day with a little free airbrushed art!
Creature Comforts Touch Table (Learning Lair) - Get a sneak peek at what the keepers provide the animals ALL YEAR LONG to keep them busy and active. You will also get to make an enrichment for your own pet at home!
“Get Closer” Animal Encounters (Inner Zoo) - Watch for Roving Interpreters!
Spot the Enrichment! Bingo (Front Entrance) - Grab a Spot the Enrichment Bingo Card on your way into the zoo, check off the animals you spotted the enrichment for, get a line, and win a prize! Will the enrichments be social, cognitive, physical habitat, sensory or food?
Enrichment Board (Front Entrance) - How was your life enriched today? Write on our board and tell us!
Paint Like Lucy (Behind Saito) - Try to make your own painting just like Lucy the Elephant!

Time-specific activities

11am Elephant Talk and Elephant Art: A Collaboration Series Painting (Elephant Yard) - Learn about the life of the elephant and watch as Lucy paints a magnificent masterpiece with
Tricia Firmaniuk. Elephant Art: A Collaboration Series is a group of paintings done by Lucy and a local artist where all the proceeds go to Elephant Conservation.
1pm Hula the Harbour Seal Artist in Action (Arctic Shores) - Watch as Hula, one of our resident Harbour Seals creates a one of a kind piece of art!
1–4pm Photo Booth Enrichment (Zoo School) - Smile! Take part in this interactive enrichment for you! Volunteer Services volunteers have exclusive use of the photo booth from noon-1pm.
Animal Enrichment Day Presentations! (Inner/Outer Zoo) - Watch a variety of our intriguing animals receive a surprise enrichment and learn about the different types of enrichment!

• Social Enrichment 12:30pm
• Cognitive Enrichment 1:30pm
• Sensory Enrichment 2:30pm
• Food Enrichment 3:30pm

2pm Arctic Wolf Demonstration (Wolf Demonstration Area) - All about Arctic Wolves! Get closer to Shilah and Kayok, two female Arctic wolves, as they go on a walk around the zoo. Watch the zookeepers work closely with the wolves and learn why behavioural training is important for animal health.

For more information:

Edmonton Valley Zoo

13315 Buena Vista Road (87th Avenue)
PO Box 2359
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2R7

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
Email	attractions@edmonton.ca