Animal Diaries Archive

Watch Manas Jump!

27 January 2006

After several months of jump training using a piece of meat on the end of a stick, Manas, one of our Bengal Tigers, has stepped up to the next challenge. With lots of encouragement from the Big Cat Handlers, Manas has become quite the launching tiger! We have been able to successfully remove the jumping stick out of the equation and we are now getting Manas to run and jump off of the log into the air when a handler throws a bit of meat.

Check out this amazing photo... can this boy jump or what?!

Manas is probably the most food-motivated tiger, thus his interest in jumping after food. This particular behaviour is one of many ways that we can stimulate our animals as part of their enrichment.

Not only does it take the coordination and focus of the handler, but the tiger too. As the photos show, Manas is proving to be a big star, and all the limelight shines on him as he is the first tiger to successfully perform the behaviour. Hopefully in time to come, the other tigers will follow in Manas' footsteps.