Projects from TCU’s Zoo Enrichment class weren’t just academic exercises; they underwent real-world testing to assess their effectiveness.
The assignment tasked students with creating enrichment structures that simulate natural behaviors observed in the wild. Abi Welch, a TCU Zoo Enrichment student, described the goal of designing an enrichment activity structure for elephants, emphasizing the importance of mimicking behaviors seen in their natural habitat.
Welch’s team designed and built a browsing arm for elephants, incorporating truck shocks to provide resistance and spring as the elephants interact with branches and hay. The structure aims to stimulate both the physical and mental faculties of the elephants, encouraging them to work for their food while engaging in natural behaviors.
According to Fort Worth Zoo Elephants Supervisor Peter Briggs, the collaboration between students and the zoo involved research, design, and construction phases, integrating aspects of art, ecology, and engineering. Feedback from zoo staff was crucial in ensuring that the enrichment projects catered to the animals’ needs and behaviors.
Peyton Harper, another TCU Zoo Enrichment student, reflected on the semester-long effort, highlighting the unique nature of the class compared to traditional coursework. Harper’s team focused on designing a tree enrichment structure for the Colobus monkey exhibit, aiming to provide a dynamic space for the monkeys to climb and jump.
Kaylee Cook, a Swing Keeper at the Fort Worth Zoo’s World of Primates, emphasized the importance of such structures in facilitating natural behaviors among animals.
The collaboration between TCU’s Zoo Enrichment class and the Fort Worth Zoo has been ongoing for a decade, with this year marking the fifth class to develop enrichment projects for the zoo.
