How are zoo animals coping during the Covid-19 lockdown?

April 29, 2020

Seven Sharp visited Auckland Zoo to find out. (Source: Other)

If you think your family's getting on your nerves, spare a thought for the animals.

Just like any big whanau, Auckland Zoo is having to adapt under lockdown and it's still closed to visitors under Level 3.

Waking up to week five without visitors, it's been pretty much business as usual for the zoo - just without the 'business'.

"Some of the primates and the giraffes are noticing that there aren't the people walking along the boardwalk interacting with them," Auckland Zoo's Richard Gibson told Seven Sharp.

And some of the more social animals are really feeling it without an audience.

Sulphur-crested cockatoo Captain is used to going on walks around the zoo every day to say hello to all the visitors.

Instead under lockdown, he's been invited to join the keepers' smoko break and has popped in on some of the animal flatmates he doesn't normally see.

Zookeeper Lauren Booth says only some of the animals seem to be missing the attention. (Source: Other)

For the other animals, extra enrichment programmes are being dreamed up such as big ice blocks filled with their favourite foods.

As well as engagement, animals in a bubble need their space just like humans do.

"It's important for these guys because they live with each other 24/7, like a lot of us are doing in lockdown, for them to have a little bit of time apart," elephant keeper Laurel Sandy says.

Zookeepers are divided up into teams and are taking extra precautions to keep themselves and their animals safe.

SHARE ME

More Stories