Nichols School Students Build Animal Enrichment For The Buffalo Zoo

By Jennifer Fields 

Buffalo, NY - Nichols School fifth-graders are extending science variables experiments beyond the classroom, by testing enrichment toys that they made for animals at the Buffalo Zoo. This Thursday, March 12, from 1:30 – 3:15 p.m., students will examine behaviors of Patty the blue and gold macaw, snow leopards, hyena, river otters and eastern indigo snakes.

“Nichols believes in interactive learning in all subjects, and coming to understand science through experiments and hands-on projects is always better than pure textbook learning,” said Allan Hayes, fifth-grade science teacher at Nichols School. “We have been engaged in this type of project with the Buffalo Zoo for a few years now, and our close proximity to the Zoo offers us unique opportunities for our students. The kids come up with their own ideas and get to witness the outcomes of their experiments firsthand.”

Through the Zoo’s enrichment program, Hayes and his students designed this project as part of the fifth-grade science unit about variables. Following a myriad of fun classroom experiments featuring pendulums and catapults, students turned their attention to the animals at the Buffalo Zoo. In preparation for the experiments, students carefully constructed everything from different colored boxes, filled with assorted amounts of fish for otters, to papier-mâché shapes, filled with various Zoo-provided meats for hyenas.

“This is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said Rebecca Muffoletto, the
Buffalo Zoo’s public programs specialist. “The students are learning more about science while our animals are being stimulated both physically and mentally as they are presented with new objects and smells.”

Enrichment is a very important part of animal care at the Buffalo Zoo. Keepers spend time each day planning new ways to encourage the animals’ natural behavior that is exhibited in the wild.

The students’ enrichment experiments were pre-approved by Zoo staff. As part of the program, Muffoletto will also give the students a presentation about animal behavior and how enrichment benefits the Zoo’s animal residents.

About Nichols School
Nichols School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school serving grades 5 through 12. Located in Buffalo, N.Y., Nichols is non-denominational, with 585 students from across Western New York and Southern Ontario. The school fosters an environment of intellectual, artistic and athletic excellence. Students develop strong work ethic, commitment and responsibility in their academic, social and personal lives. Founded in 1892, Nichols is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools. Visit www.nicholsschool.org.

About The Buffalo Zoo
Founded in 1875, the Buffalo Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the United States. Each year, the Buffalo Zoo welcomes more than 400,000 visitors and is the second largest tourist attraction in Western New York after Niagara Falls. Located on 23.5 acres of Olmsted's beautiful Delaware Park, the Buffalo Zoo houses approximately 900 endangered and domestic animals and offers visitors a variety of events and educational programs year-round. The Buffalo Zoo’s philosophy is to exhibit animals and plants in naturalistic settings that represent their native habitats. The Zoo is dedicated to providing visitors with a better understanding of nature, including how animals relate to each other, their environment and to humankind.