At the end of the 2020-2021 school year, fifth graders from the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM School completed a project to design enrichment for several species at the Akron Zoo. These students came up with ideas, created designs, and submitted final reports to the Akron Zoo's animal care team for approval. Today, many of these projects came to fruition when the completed enrichment items were given to our animals to play with and enjoy! Below you can read some firsthand accounts from these students about the process of building enrichment, and see photos of the animals enjoying their great new toys.

Red Panda Enrichment

By Ali, Larry, Sereniti, Antonio, Phewona, and Natalie

Enrichment is something that improves an animal’s natural behaviors. A red panda’s natural behavior is climbing, so they would have enrichment that improves their climbing ability. Animals at the zoo need enrichment so they can improve their natural behaviors, and so they can learn new things. The enrichment helps improve the animal’s natural behavior.

In order to create enrichment for an animal, there are many steps. First, information on the animal should be researched so you know what the animal needs. After that, you brainstorm so you can figure out what your enrichment is going to be about. Now you design, once you have your brainstorm complete. If you have any problems with the first enrichment, you can redesign or change some things.

Animals get different enrichment because they have different natural behaviors. Red pandas are skilled at climbing and stingrays are skilled at swimming, so stingrays would have
enrichment that could go underwater and be waterproof. Animals receive new enrichment when they master the enrichment they already had. Just like when a person has a Rubik’s Cube and they finish it; they would have to find something else to do.

Stingray Enrichment

By Thoimon, Alyssa, and Theo

Enrichment is something that encourages an animal to use their brain to complete some sort of task. It encourages natural behaviors from an animal by having them do something that they would do naturally. Enrichment for the animals at the zoo could have to do with how they get their food, or things they like to do. Animals play around with the enrichment and therefore behave like they would in their native habitat. The enrichment helps the animals at the zoo by having them do a task. Without enrichment, animals at the zoo might not be able to do the things they usually do out in the wild, and they become dependent on humans for survival. 

Designing enrichment first requires research about the animal, like their natural environment or behavior. Then you need to brainstorm an idea that would require the animal to use their natural behaviors. The activity now needs to be a real thing, so you’ll have to make it and then see if the animals like it.

Different animals get different enrichment items because animals do not have the same natural behaviors, characteristics, habitat, etc. Enrichment is designed to work for a certain type of animal and will not always work for other animals of a different species. Animals receive enrichment at the zoo when their lifestyle becomes too repetitive. The animals receive new enrichment when it is ready to be used and follows all safety constraints.

Wild Turkey Enrichment

By Owen, Jayden, and Ashim

Enrichment is an activity that encourages humans and animals to think and use their minds more. An example of enrichment for a human is solving riddles. An example of enrichment for an animal might be a toy that teaches the animal a new skill. Enrichment is for the species of organisms who can use the enrichment. For example, if you made enrichment that requires the user to swim, organisms that can’t swim can’t use the enrichment. Enrichment helps animals in the zoo use their full ability to accomplish a task.

Enrichment can feed animals, or help animals exercise to accomplish tasks. There are many steps in designing enrichment for an animal. The first step is researching the animal to find certain aspects, such as their physical ability or their natural behaviors. After getting the research, the next thing you do is brainstorm ideas for a design, and then pick your favorite brainstorm. The next step is figuring out aspects of the brainstorm such as the size and the materials needed. The last step is making the actual design.

Different animals receive different enrichment because different species of animals have different physical abilities and natural behaviors. Animals can receive new enrichment when the old enrichment is finished. Another time in which animals can receive a new form of enrichment is when the enrichment they currently have becomes too easy.