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Hanoi Zoo celebrates animal welfare progress

02
Feb

Hanoi Zoo celebrates animal welfare progress

The Wild Welfare team returned to Hanoi Zoo in January and were able to see key improvements being made to animal welfare across the facility.

Visiting the zoo across three days, the team met with zoo staff, carried out enrichment work, observed the newly set-up enclosure and enrichment additions and made plans for additional welfare improvements.

Our projects director, Georgina Allen, said: “We were pleased to see how the staff are embracing the recommendations for new enrichment and enclosure ideas.”

As part of our work with the zoo, enrichment material and welfare management training has been provided throughout 2016. New wooden platforms have been constructed in many of the large cat enclosures and feeding poles and pulley systems are in place in the tiger and lion enclosures, enabling them the opportunity to climb, pounce and work for their food.

On witnessing one of the tigers using its new feeding pole, Mrs Allen said: “It was fantastic to see one of the new tools in use and its obvious to see that the carnivore and macaque teams have worked really hard to implement our enrichment calendar, the daily planner that details different enrichments. Staff already have an understanding of which animals are getting on well with their new equipment and how they can help those that need more time to adjust and explore the new items.”

Also in place now at the zoo are foraging boxes for the macaques, regular hanging browse for the ostriches, decaying logs for the bears to dig into and bamboo feeders for many of the monkeys. While at the zoo, plans were made for the construction of misters in the large cat and bear enclosures to provide enrichment and keep the animals cool during the hot summer months, and further enclosure adaptions were discussed for the ostriches and sun bears.

Mrs Allen paid thanks and presented prizes to several members of zoo’s staff, highlighting their excellent efforts in improving animal welfare and harnessing ongoing enthusiasm for future projects. Quang, head of macaques, Phuc, head of tigers and bears, Duc, head of birds, and the whole of Miss Phung’s carnivore and macaque team, were awarded prizes.

Wild Welfare would like to offer a huge thanks to Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation for helping fund the ongoing work at Hanoi Zoo and to the teams from FOUR PAWS UK and Animals Asia, who have visited the zoo on a regular basis to provide guidance and support to staff.

Watch the tiger enjoying his new feeding pole here!

Image © Wild Welfare- Miss Phung and her team with their prizes