Not only are Ice Block Day activities fun for visitors to watch, but they also provide necessary exercise and stimulation, or enrichment, for Zoo animals. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, enrichment is an essential part of keeping animals mentally healthy by providing them something new each day. In fact, Hogle Zoo is known around the country for its outstanding efforts in animal enrichment. "Hogle Zoo is on the cutting edge of behavioral development in zoos by being one of the first organizations to establish a standard for animal enrichment," says Dawn Neptune, Behavioral Programs Coordinator. "It all looks like playtime, but things as simple as a ball one day and a cardboard tube the next all improve the welfare of our animals." In 2005, Dawn also won for Hogle Zoo the first-ever National Enrichment Award, given by the American Association of Zoo Keepers.  

 

So join Hogle Zoo for Ice Block Day; where else can you catch elephants licking to the center of some 300-pound frozen fruit blocks? For more information, contact Community Relations Coordinator Holly Braithwaite at (801) 584-1729 or email at hbraithwaite@hoglezoo.org. Ice Block Day is sponsored by Spiffy Ice and B 98.7.  

 

About the Association of Zoos & Aquariums: Utah's Hogle Zoo is one of only 218 institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.  AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information visit www.aza.org.  

 

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