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You are here > Visitor Info > More Information > Visit Devon News > “Netflix” for Peacocks in Lockdown
21st January 2021
Categories: Visitor News
Animal keepers at East Devon family attraction, Wildwood Escot, have been dreaming up innovative ways to maintain the mental health of their peafowl during yet another lockdown.
With animals missing visitors at the popular wildlife park, keepers have taken enrichment for their peacocks to the next level, to ensure their mental welfare during the covid-19 lockdown.
Whilst people around the country are tuning into Netflix as demands for the streaming service sores, the team at Wildwood Escot have come up with their own innovative ways to make lockdown ‘entertaining’ for their animals too. Various designs have been built to stimulate and encourage natural behaviours to keep animals occupied during this difficult period.
“During Covid lockdown we have turned to streaming services such as Netflix to keep us entertained. Now that our peafowls and other animals are in lockdown, we as keepers need to keep them stimulated as well.” Said Ben Gregory, Senior Keeper.
Among the methods used, keepers will encourage natural foraging behaviours by scattering feed among the substrate of the aviaries. Swinging perches mimic tree branches in the wild and provide a challenge and a bit of moderate exercise and tasty fresh lettuces will be suspended on string for the birds to catch.
“The peacocks are naturally very curious, often exploring and interacting with novel objects in their environment,” explained Ben. “By introducing a selection of interesting enrichment tools like a CD mobile, we can be sure they’ll stay engaged and alert, all the while having lots of fun.”
While wildlife parks and zoos around the country have been forced to shut, their important conservation work cannot do the same. Wildwood Escot works to preserve and project British wildlife species through vital efforts of breeding, releasing and caring for endangered native species such as the hazel dormouse and red squirrel.
To donate to the wildlife charity’s vital conservation work, see https://wildwoodtrust.org/civicrm/contribute/transact/?id=10&reset=1
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