AMARILLO, TEXAS -- It seems all the creatures at the Amarillo city zoo are enjoying the week, with the great weather and a lot of visitors.
The animals are part of some enrichment programs each day this week -- as zookeepers try to make sure the animals keep up with their regular behaviors...and even though they are used to humans, their handlers never forget these are wild animals they're dealing with on a daily basis, according to Rhonda Votino, who works at the zoo.
"As we always have to have a healthy respect for these animals...just so we keep ourselves safe as well. you never want to get a false sense of security when working around them because they take advantage of it."
She also says the enrichment programs help keep the animals from being bored...and the visitors really like to watch their actions.
"The whole importance of behavioral enrichment is to get he animals to use their natural behaviors. They really use all their senses and we really try to do it. Helps keep them from being bored and it gives them things to do during the course of the day."
And meantime over in Clovis, baby giraffe Jerrica made her debut on Tuesday at the Hillcrest city zoo in front of record crowds.
