BERLIN — For the elephants and other animals at Berlin Zoo, it’s finally time to unwrap their Christmas presents.
Trees that didn’t find a home this holiday season were given to some of the animals on Friday in what has become an annual event. The elephants ripped off branches with their trunks, throwing them around their enclosure or eating the vegetation.
The zoo only accepts fresh, unsold trees from select suppliers. It does not accept trees from the public, which could contain chemicals or ornamental debris.
“Not only do they serve as food, but they also serve to keep the animals busy,” says Florian Sicks, curator of mammals at the zoo.
“Animals can fight with them, they can rub against them, they can throw themselves on them and do other things with these fir trees,” he added. “And thus we enrich the animals’ daily lives, which they are very happy about.”
While elephants eat much of the tree, other animals take a more cautious approach.
This year, the giraffes received their belated stocking stuffers for the first time, suspended upside down at head height. Max enjoyed more than a taste of the greenery, but his partner Mugambi didn’t seem convinced after inspecting it.
