To imitate this type of feeding, the tree kangaroos at the San
Diego Zoo were presented with a similar challenge. They were
presented with a new enrichment item, a puzzle feeder, in which
their folivore biscuits and browse (the leafy part of an
animal’s diet) were hidden. Getting out the food required a much
more complex thought process than getting food presented in a
specific feeding location. But the tree kangaroos took up the
challenge and succeeded! Because the browse was sticking out of
the feeder and was visible, they quickly realized that the large
gourds (the puzzle feeders) in their exhibit were more than just
“decorations.” Soon after investigating the gourds and
extracting some of the browse, they realized an even greater
treasure to be gained: folivore biscuits!Their investigation of
the puzzle feeders quickly advanced from simple sniffing and
pulling at browse branches to gripping the feeder holes with one
hand and extracting biscuits with another. One of the most
impressive methods of investiga