Eco-Friendly Zoo Enrichment Toys

The Honolulu Zoo is putting sustainability at the heart of its operations, finding creative ways to recycle everyday items into tools that enrich the lives of its animals. Instead of relying on new or specialized products, the zoo works with volunteers and the community to collect items such as clothes, bed sheets, stuffed animals, newspapers, and magazines. These donations provide opportunities for animals to engage in natural behaviors, keeping them mentally and physically active.

At the zoo, things like papier-mâché balloons are filled with treats and hidden around habitats to encourage foraging, much like the animals would do in the wild. Old bed sheets are knotted, shredded, or hung to transform enclosures, offering bedding, climbing material, or toys for play. Even perfume and spices are used as enrichment, adding new scents and flavors for animals to investigate, sparking curiosity and sensory stimulation.

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