Leap For Lunch - Innovative feeding methods introduced

Mark Kingston Jones, Research and Enrichment Supervisor explained: ‘This feed pole was built in collaboration between the Carnivore Section and the Education Team as an enrichment tool to encourage stamina in the tigers and stimulate muscle development and bone strength.’

Pole feeders have been used at various animal parks in the past however this one is different because it uses a pulley system set into the pole that can be lowered down to hook the meat on before being raised – all this can be done within five minutes.

Neil Spooner, Animal Director said: ‘The feed pole is proving very effective, although tigers infrequently climb trees in the wild, the leaping action that they perform to grab and wrestle the meat replicates the effort of pulling down prey using similar muscles. We are gradually increasing the height of the meat to build up the tiger’s stamina.’

Research has shown that tigers can occasionally start to develop arthritis from a young age in captivity and this can become serious by the time they reach adolescence, however tigers that have been fed via a pole have been found to have excellent bone structure and muscle development and little symptoms of the disease.

Neil added: ‘Enrichment like this is so important for our animals, not only does it stimulate different senses for them and provide interesting challenges it also helps to keep them healthy and in tip top condition.’

The feeding pole is currently situated in the Sumatran tiger enclosure, home to Indah and Amir, a breeding pair at the park. The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the subspecies of tiger and is listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species as ‘critically endangered’. Loss of habitat and vigorous poaching has depleted their numbers dramatically and it is estimated that there are less than 400 remaining in the wild.