GERMANY

Unsold trees are fed to the animals at Berlin Zoo

BERLIN>> Trees that didn’t find a home this festive season were given to some of the animals at the Berlin Zoo on Friday in what has become an annual event. Elephants tore off branches with their trunks, lobbing them around their enclosure or eating the greenery.

The zoo takes only fresh, unsold trees from select vendors. It doesn’t accept trees from the public, which could contain chemicals or leftover decorations.

“They don’t just serve as food; they are also used to keep the animals occupied,” said Florian Sicks, the zoo’s curator for mammals.

“The animals can fight with them, they can rub themselves against them, they can throw themselves over them and do various other things with these fir trees,” he added. “And so we enrich the animals’ everyday lives, which they are very happy about.”

Although the elephants eat up much of the tree, other animals take a more cautious approach.

This year, the giraffes got the belated stocking-fillers for the first time — suspended upside down at the height of their heads. Max enjoyed more than a taste of the greenery, but companion Mugambi appeared unconvinced after inspecting it.

UNITED KINGDOM

Zoo’s residents counted in annual inventory

londoN>> From alpacas to zebras — and lots of birds, reptiles and invertebrates in between — the London Zoo on Friday took stock of what it possesses.

The annual census of the zoo’s 10,000-plus occupants is a requirement of its license, and the information gleaned will be shared with zoos around the world to help manage breeding programs of endangered species.

Glynn Hennessy, the zoo’s lead primate keeper, said that zoos are “really good now” at sharing information.

“We can sort of see the genetic pathway of every individual,” he said. “We can see who their grandparents were, how they’re overrepresented, if they are underrepresented, so it gives us so much information to make sure that we’re breeding responsibly.”

Hennessy said 2024 was a “massive” year for the zoo with two baby gorillas — Juno and Venus — and three Asiatic lion cubs — Mali, Syanii and Shanti — born. There were also 11 penguin chicks.

— Denver Post wire services