Behavioral enrichment

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/behavioral-enrichment

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific foundation?Rooted in ethology and animal cognition, focusing on species-specific behaviors
2. What is the methodologies?Includes active (direct interaction) and passive (environmental alteration) strategies
3. What is behavioral enrichment in zoos?Behavioral enrichment is when zookeepers add toys, puzzles, and new smells or sounds to an animal’s home to help it act like it would in the wild. It lets animals explore, solve problems, and feel happier.
4. How do zookeepers decide what toys or puzzles to give animals?They study each animal’s natural behaviors, called an ethogram, and then create activities that match those behaviors. For example, a puzzle feeder might mimic hunting or foraging.

Ethology: The scientific study of animal behavior, particularly in natural environments.
Stereotypies: Repetitive, invariant behaviors often indicative of poor welfare in captive animals.
Animal Husbandry: The science of breeding, raising, and caring for domestic animals, extended to captive wildlife.