In addition, prior to and throughout the study, animals were
daily provided with trimmed branches from a variety of trees
and plants (browse) on zoo grounds, including Acacia spp.,
Stelitzia reginae (Bird-of-paradise), and Schinus terebinthifolius
(Brazilian pepper tree). The species used were
chosen because of availability, ease of collection and nontoxicity.
The study animals were never observed to feed on
these branches, which served only as a way to provide greater
complexity in the environment.