Zoo keepers are spicing things up for Healesville Sanctuary’s tree-kangaroos by introducing floral, musky, sweet and pungent odours to their habitat.
A selection of spices and oil-based aromas are spread on branches and foliage as a sensory enrichment tool for the endangered arboreal marsupials to stimulate their olfactory systems, encourage investigative behaviours and replicate the environmental complexity that occurs in the wild.
Mammal Keeper Leslie Fisk said the new scents help simulate changes to the tree-kangaroos’ rainforest habitat.
“At Healesville Sanctuary, we provide our tree kangaroos with a variety of different scents in a variety of places, which enriches their environment,” Mr Fisk said.
“A number of animals are very scent oriented, tree-kangaroos in particular, because they’re living in an environment where there are lots different and changing smells. These smells may come from other animals, or fruits and nuts growing in their environment.
“During this week’s session, we introduced nutmeg and vibrant turmeric, which are two spices grown and harvested agriculturally in Papua New Guinea.”
Enrichment is offered daily to all animals at Healesville Sanctuary through a variety of activities and experiences that encourage animals to use their senses, move their bodies, and display natural and healthy behaviours.
Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroos are native to Papua New Guinea and are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Two species of tree-kangaroos are native to Australia – the Bennett’s tree-kangaroo and the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo. Both species are found in Far North Queensland.
