Enrichment
Sea World has a structured and dedicated enrichment and welfare program and team who are responsible for monitoring and improving animal welfare throughout the park.
What is Enrichment?
Enrichment is a science-based animal husbandry principle with the aim of enhancing and improving animal welfare and care in the zoological and aquarium industry.
Through a range of stimuli, enrichment is used to enhance to the quality of the environment the animals reside in and encourage them to demonstrate their species-specific behaviour, ensuring they are mentally stimulated and in optimal health.
At Sea World, we have a full-time Enrichment Coordinator and Team who utilise a range of enrichment programs, initiatives and devices to monitor and improve animal welfare across the park.
Environmental Enrichment Device Diversity Wheel
Sea World has created their own environmental enrichment device (EED) diversity wheel. This is based off five key categories: sensory, physical habitat, food-related, social and cognitive. These categories encourage different species-specific behaviours. Our dolphins have over 150 EEDs, which ensures they are mentally stimulated daily.
By providing enrichment, we are ensuring the animals in our care have choice and control in their environment. We utilise EEDs to strategically plan and prepare our enrichment to suit individual’s needs whilst promoting positive welfare.
We create and implement new EEDs on a regular basis and constantly monitor the dolphins’ engagement.
Did you know that over the past year, our records indicate that our dolphins showed interested in 90% of their observed enrichment sessions.
By providing enrichment, we are ensuring the animals in our care have choice and control in their environment. We utilise EEDs to strategically plan and prepare our enrichment to suit individual’s needs whilst promoting positive welfare.
We create and implement new EEDs on a regular basis and constantly monitor the dolphins’ engagement.
Did you know that over the past year, our records indicate that our dolphins showed interested in 90% of their observed enrichment sessions.
Behavioural Observations
Everyday, our Enrichment and Welfare team conduct behavioural observations on the animals in our care. Observations are conducted in different contexts, times, locations and are completed from out of sight to ensure specialists do not influence the animal’s behaviour. Monitoring behaviour gives us a deeper insight into individuals welfare status.
Dr Isabella Clegg, an independent welfare specialist has conducted cetacean welfare assessment on the dolphins in our care. over the past two years of developing our enrichment and welfare program, the results indicate that the welfare scores have improved for majority of the dolphins (see figure 1).
A good way to conceptualise the percentage scores, is to consider them as an estimate of how often the animals are in positive states of welfare. For example, the dolphins who live at Dolphin Beach are in positive states 88.5% of time, which is a great result.
Dr Isabella Clegg, an independent welfare specialist has conducted cetacean welfare assessment on the dolphins in our care. over the past two years of developing our enrichment and welfare program, the results indicate that the welfare scores have improved for majority of the dolphins (see figure 1).
A good way to conceptualise the percentage scores, is to consider them as an estimate of how often the animals are in positive states of welfare. For example, the dolphins who live at Dolphin Beach are in positive states 88.5% of time, which is a great result.
The Five Categories of Enrichment
Cognitive
Here you can see the dolphins cooperatively working together to problem solve. To release ice cubes from the bucket, they must successfully pull down on a lever. Cognitive enrichment encourages higher order thinking.
Sensory
Sensory enrichment incorporates different senses, such as touch, visual and sound just to name a few! Did you know, dolphins do not have a sense of smell? Dolphins are inquisitive animals, and often carry objects in their mouth, or on their fins. Here you can see RB exhibit this natural behaviour with a hoop.
Physical Habitat
Physical habitat enrichment involves adapting the environment where the animals reside. This could involve sinking several weighted objects to the bottom of our sandy bottom lagoons to encourage exploratory behaviours. Utilising paddle boards, or boats can help change the currents of the water, encouraging play behaviour, such as bow riding.
Food Related
Food related enrichment involves providing species specific diets, in novel, innovative ways. Here is Nudge, enjoying a frozen fish iceblock!
Social
Social enrichment includes social changes with animals of their own or different species. Using our network of underwater gates, we can change the dolphins’ social groups to promote positive behaviour. Social enrichment could include building rapport with marine animal specialists via pats and swim sessions or could even include a visit from our seal family.
Choice
Our dolphins have their own personalities, so naturally prefer different types of enrichment. Over the past year free pats, balls and hose have been the top three most engaging EEDs. Figure 2 highlights from left to right the dolphins’ preference of EEDs.
Meet some of the dolphins and their favourite enrichment
Stella
One of Stella’s favourite enrichment activities is to receive tactile interactions from our marine animal specialists!
Kiama
Is one of our most adventurous dolphins, he is very outgoing and always keen to try new enrichment. Here you can see him playing with some frozen EEDs.
Found injured marine life?
The Sea World Rescue Team is on call 24/7
The Sea World Rescue Team's pioneering work in marine animal rescues has resulted in outstanding success in rehabilitating and saving many sick, injured and stranded animals in the wild.
Call 07 5588 2222 (9:00am to 5:00pm) or 07 5588 2177 (After Hours).
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