HOHENWALD, Tenn. (WTVF) — In celebration of Easter Sunday, Hohenwald's elephant sanctuary, Africa Barn, set up an Eager egg hunt with "eggs" made of ice and produce for its elephant occupants to enjoy.
From the pictures, it seems the pachyderms were pretty pleased with the surprise.
Organizers said that enclosure enrichment like this can encourage elephants to make use of their habitat space for fun — and in this case, delicious — new discoveries.
The eggs led them to a big prize: an Easter basket handmade by Sanctuary volunteers out of donated grape vines.
Each elephant was allowed to pick out her favorite produce before snacking on the edible basket.
Eggs and treats inside the baskets included hay, bamboo, fruit, orange peels, sweet potatoes stuffed with blueberries, and apples painted with beet juice.
They also received some lily flowers and grain stained with beet juice to look pink and festive.
