THE BIODÔME, A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS RESIDENTS

• BY ANNIE LABRECQUE

Visitors wandering through the Biodôme's ecosystems may not notice it at first glance, but various enrichment activities for the animals are unfolding throughout the facility. "We offer these activities to improve the animal's quality of life based on the natural history of the species," explains Sabrina Ridel, animal welfare coordinator.

These different forms of enrichment (sensory, food, cognitive, physical, social) encourage the animals to make choices and reproduce behaviors that they would normally exhibit in their natural environment, thus ensuring their well-being. In short, enrichment is all about creating opportunities for the animal to thrive.

The wide range of activities proposed are essential for the physical and cognitive health of the animals. For example, we will trigger the hunting instinct of the lynx by placing a box on top of a tree. This activity will stimulate the animals’ physical, olfactory and manipulative capabilities. This new object, which gives off the scent of their small prey, attracts their attention. "The lynxes see the box right away. They jump on and climb up the tree to get to the box, open it with their claws and collect the mouse inside," says Lassine Traore, animal care technician at the Biodôme. In the case of beavers, they "have to chew through the trunk of the tree before reaching and eating the vegetables that we pinned to the branches," says Sabrina Ridel.

Most of the objects used for enrichment are made from recycled materials. For example, pieces of PVC pipe turn into the pieces of a puzzle with food inside, while fabric salvaged from old safety harnesses can be transformed into hammocks for the Biodôme’s residents.

All animals are entitled to enrichment activities—tailored to the species by the animal care technicians. Lassine Traore says the key is to understand the biology of the animal. An enrichment activity doesn't have to be complex. For example, to stimulate reptiles, you can move the heat lamp from one place to the other during the day to mimic the sun’s movement. "The snake, which likes to keep warm, has to make it a point to move around in its habitat in order to reap the benefits of the heat lamp," says Sabrina Ridel.

The enrichment of the Biodôme's living spaces is a winning strategy when it comes to the animals' well-being. The Biodôme's animal care teams use a great deal of creativity to improve the living environment of small and large animals alike!