Week 9: Another Small Change

As proven by the success of adjusting the material inside the nesting box, small changes can make a huge difference. I noticed that the majority of the time that the lemurs spend on the ground is while eating. With almost all their food scattered on the floor throughout the exhibit, the lemurs have no way to avoid the ground. By putting their food up high in the trees, hanging off vines, or in the mesh fencing, the lemurs will be able to practice their natural behaviors for finding food. These changes will only be implemented for Ally and Razoky as Meva is not very mobile and I want to avoid putting any excess stress on her.

There are already a couple of spots for the food to be put without any additional containers being added, like on top of the nesting box. One set-up added to the exhibit is a series of bowls attached to a rope that the lemurs have to dig through. This not only allows them to practice their natural behaviors but also provides them with an engaging puzzle to help alleviate boredom. The other set-up attempted is a cage where the lemurs could grab food through the bars. This device had some problems as the food fell through to the ground before the lemurs could get it. By sealing the bottom, the food may not fall through as easily, but the lemurs might have difficulty grabbing the food themselves. This likely means that a different device should be considered instead.