Vegetables and fruit fly through the air at Werribee Open Range Zoo’s gorilla enclosure, giving new meaning to the term fast food.
The Vegie Express is a new food delivery system designed to help the zoo’s three Western Lowland gorillas, Motaba, Yakini and Ganyeka, eat more naturally.
Two contraptions launch a mix of the gorillas’ favourite vegies, including eggplant, capsicum, sweet corn and greens, into their enclosure, encouraging the apes to forage for them and be active.
The Vegie Express is part of the zoo’s animal enrichment program, which provides variety and encourages problem-solving and foraging behaviour.
Life sciences general manager Russel Traher said keepers had been experimenting with different types of produce.
Details: www.zoo.org.au
