World Rhino Day: Jinan Zoo Spreads Love and Care

September 22 is World Rhino Day, and Jinan Zoo celebrated this special day with a unique nature education activity to raise public awareness and attention to rhino protection. Many children and parents actively participated and spent a wonderful and happy day together.

Rhino Science Lecture

The nature education activity kicked off in the Jinniu Book House, where conservationists delivered a lively and interesting rhino science lecture to the children. Through wonderful pictures, videos, and easy-to-understand explanations, the children learned in-depth about the types of rhinos, their living habits, the threats they face, and the importance of protecting rhinos. The atmosphere was lively, and the children actively asked questions, showing their strong interest in rhinos and a strong sense of responsibility for protecting animals.

Preparing Delicious Food for Rhinos

After the lecture, the children came to the rhino’s playground and divided into two groups to prepare delicious food for the rhinos. One group of children used their creativity to press carrots and apples into various cute shapes with molds, and evenly sprinkled them on a plate with hay as the base. With the help of the caregiver, they cleverly arranged the three big words “Rhino Day”. This unique delicacy attracted the attention of many tourists, who stopped to watch and praised the children’s dedication and creativity.

Simulating Natural Foraging Process

Another group of children tied fresh grass with hemp ropes and hung it on the railing in the middle of the cage. This unique way of hanging food makes it more difficult for rhinos to obtain food, stimulates their desire to explore food, and better simulates their foraging process in the natural environment.

A Sense of Accomplishment

After the food was arranged, the “big” rhino slowly approached the food and explored it carefully until it found no danger, then it enjoyed it to its heart’s content. At this time, the children’s faces were filled with pride and joy, and they felt a great sense of accomplishment. They brought special care to the rhinoceros with their own hands, and also deeply realized the significance of protecting animals in practice.

Animal Enrichment and Welfare

Animal enrichment is an important part of zoo management and a means to improve animal welfare. By changing the way and pattern of animals’ diet, giving them more opportunities to search and explore, promoting and stimulating them to show more natural behaviors, and improving their physiological and mental health, the level of animal welfare can be improved.