Lyon College, LR Zoo offer ‘animal enrichment’ course

The Little Rock Zoo and Lyon College recently announced a long-term partnership, offering new hands-on educational opportunities for undergraduate students interested in pursuing animal-related professions.

This partnership takes the form of a new course called “Animal Enrichment,” which will be taught by Dr. Mary Jones, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Britt Florkiewicz, assistant professor of psychology.

“Our class teaches students how to study, create, troubleshoot and implement enrichment for various animal species, such as those residing at the Little Rock Zoo,” said Dr. Florkiewicz. “We combine lectures with hands-on lab activities, providing an ideal learning experience for our students,” said Dr. Jones.

This summer, Alison Koons, a biology major with a minor in animal behavior, assisted Jones and Florkiewicz in piloting the course with the Zoo’s elephants. After extensive research on elephant biology and behavior, Koons weaved two mats out of firehose material to conceal food items.

“It took us a little while to figure out how to properly weave two firehoses and safely secure them together to create a mat with slots for fruits and vegetables,” Koons said. “It was such a rewarding and exciting experience to be able to observe the elephants explore the mats and find their food.”

Koons’ firehose mats were highly successful, allowing the elephants to engage in natural foraging behaviors. “Enrichment items like these mats provide animals with mental and physical stimulation, as well as choice and control over their activities. Providing all captive animals with enrichment is crucial to maintaining their physical and psychological well-being,” said Dr. Jones.

“We plan to offer the Animal Enrichment course again in the future with a full class of students,” Dr. Florkiewicz said. “Students will have the opportunity to work with various animal species, including monkeys, penguins, zebras, snakes and more, in addition to the elephants.”

“The Little Rock Zoo’s mission is to inspire people to value and conserve our natural world, so at our heart, we are a conservation learning institution. It can be no more fitting for us to partner with Lyon College to help guide these students in putting the principles they’ve learned into tangible reality. We are honored to take part in their education, and happy to be recipients of their hard work,” said Susan Altrui, Little Rock Zoo director.

Lyon College is planning a veterinarian school in Cabot, which is expected to open in 2025.