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Old ferry life rings used as giraffe snack bowls

Wightlink A giraffe's head extends over a fence. The animal is facing downward with its mouth pressed against a curved tube which has some holes punched into it. Wightlink
Keepers at Marwell Zoo say the feeders encourage natural stretching and feeding behaviours in their giraffes

Giraffes at a zoo have been snacking out of repurposed life rings donated by a ferry operator.

Wightlink, which runs ferries between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, gave the retired rings to Marwell Zoo near Winchester - where keepers have adapted them into "enrichment devices" for the long-necked animals.

The rings are filled with treats and suspended at height, encouraging the giraffes to stretch and reach for their food in a way that mirrors their eating in the wild.

Keepers now plan to create similar feeders for some of the zoo's other animals, including mountain bongos, lesser kudus and tapirs.

Wightlink A female zoo handler, who has blonde hair and glasses and is wearing a green uniform, stands next to another woman, who has dyed pink hair and is wearing a white top with dark stripes. They are both smiling at the camera and holding up orange life rings. Wightlink
The life rings were donated by ferry operator Wightlink after being retired from service

Captain Sam Mitchell from Wightlink said it was a "real joy" to see the giraffes enjoying the rings.

"We always try to find a use for surplus materials rather than sending them away as waste," he said.

Marwell Zoo initially contacted Wightlink to ask whether it had any surplus equipment that could be upcycled for use with its animals.

Keeper Erin Luter said the giraffes "loved" their new "fun snack feeders".

She said: "Enrichment is incredibly important for encouraging natural behaviours and keeping our animals active and engaged, so it's fantastic to be able to reuse materials in such a creative way."

Wightlink has previously donated old supplies to Isle of Wight animal charities including the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, the Isle of Wight Monkey Haven and the Wight Squirrel Project, as well as Dorset's Monkey World.

It said it had also contacted Amazon World to explore whether any surplus equipment could benefit animals there.

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