Volunteer's Diary: Coconuts!

coconuts!
​By Mark Rusli 

http://matahari-bears.tumblr.com/
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Coconuts for the adult females today. Was trying to figure out a creative way to use our large stash of coconuts which were collecting dust and harvesting ants; eventually Amanda and I somehow concluded to suspend it in unreachable places. Manis got her own personal alone time with her coconut, because we were afraid her groupmates would steal it from her.

Trying to figure out the best route to the coconut. Perhaps her former situation at the zoo had an adverse impact on her calculation skills: took a while, but she got there eventually!

Manis managed to tear the coconut off the rope, and proceeded to rip it apart with ease. Watch those claws and teeth!

Very quickly, she attacked the white pulp of the coconut.

Next door, Keningau gave me a dirty look, upset that Manis was getting all the treats.

And the rest of the group each received their own coconuts.

We were talking about how enrichments that successfully occupy Manis gives us a personal sense of satisfaction. Manis has this perpetual glazed, distant look, which is probably another manifestation of the psychological damage derived from her time in the zoo. To bring her back, to make her do normal “bear” things, means so much more.
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Saturday, June 5th 2010 12:13am