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Octopus Vs. Mr. Potato Head
   posted 3:19 pm Thu August 23, 2007 - Charleson
tags:  aquarium   •   octopus   •   enrichment
Most of us take our dogs out for a walk each day... or play with our cats with a ball of yarn. What we are actually doing ..is enrichment...or helping their mental health.
ABC News 4 - Octopus Vs. Mr. Potato Head
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That is a priority at the South Carolina Aquarium as well.

Most of the animals here are from the wild...and have instincts. And to help them use those instincts..they are given tools and toys.

ABC News 4 myTAKE - What's Your Opinion?Take Mr. Potato Head for example.

A favorite for their octopus.


"They've got a really strong grasp," says Jason Critchon of the South Carolina Aquarium, "You can see how he's changing colors too...and reaches out for it and grabs onto it."



It only takes him a matter of minutes to disassemble the spud.

It's a similar thing for the otters.

"They have dog toys...they have baby toys... they have astro turf and door mats--that's important for different texture under their feet, " says Svenja Xeller of the South Carolina Aquarium.

Even their playroom gets switched around each day, to give them a new environment to explore.

And take even Maya the anteater here who is getting quite hungry. They give her a long tube full of food to simulate what she would face in the wild.

The aquarium's enrichment program...not only helps feed on their intelligence...but also allows to them to feel comfortable with humans. If this had been my first meeting with Maya from the wild, she may not have been so gentle with me with her claws...which are capable of going through concrete.

Enrichment programs like the one at the aquarium are found in most zoos across the country.

Mayr the Anteater will only be on display until December as a new exhibit is planned for the aquarium next spring.

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