Most programs focus on making animals forage and work for food, solve puzzles for treats, or even hunt live prey, letting them practice natural behaviors and stay sharp. Live food comes with the risk of parasites, however, which are a major concern at zoos. Mahal, a young orangutan, succumbed to parasites two and a half years ago.
Which is why a new collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences and the zoo is so productive. Zookeepers now receive live fish raised in clean environments at UW-Milwaukee, allowing fish-eating animals to safely hunt as they would in the wild.