SANTIAGO, Chile — While children around the world searched for Easter eggs this weekend, animals at Chile’s biggest private zoo got their own special hunt.
Bioparque Buinzoo in Santiago hosted its yearly Easter-themed activity on Sunday, where meerkats, monkeys, lemurs and other creatures foraged for specially-packaged food treats designed to look like festive eggs.
This unique celebration serves dual purposes at the Chilean zoo — providing entertainment for guests while encouraging the animals to practice their natural hunting and foraging instincts.
Zoo staff distributed small decorated pouches filled with meat throughout the habitats of smaller wild cats like caracals, who climbed tree branches to reach their holiday snacks.
One meerkat discovered a basket containing eggs nestled among rocks in its living space. Meanwhile, monkeys and lemurs enjoyed fruits concealed inside brown paper packages adorned with bunny ears.
Zoo director Ignacio Idalsoaga explained that “in nature, these animals spend much of their life looking for food,” which is why the facility aims to replicate this natural behavior.
He emphasized that the special treats were “not chocolate eggs” but rather foods that match what these species would consume in the wild.
According to Idalsoaga, this Easter tradition has continued for 16 years at the zoo. This year’s event included a new addition — sheep that had to work for their food pellets by extracting them from a brightly-colored ball with openings.
“Our creative team has been very imaginative this year,” Idalsoaga noted.
