Christmas 2023: In a festive celebration to kick off the holiday season, Wildlife SOS planned the perfect festivities surrounding the resident elephants, bears, and leopards. As part of the celebration, the event included special Christmas-themed treats, enrichments, and decorations across the NGO’s rescue facilities in Agra, Mathura, Maharashtra, and Bangalore.
At the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bangalore, resident bears enjoyed their fruits and vegetables.
Marking the holiday season, the Christmas celebration for rescued animals across the country kicked off with the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura, where resident elephants Sanjay, Taj, Tara, Lakshmi, and Pari were treated to a delicious ‘Fruit Feast’. Specially crafted Christmas stockings were filled with an array of green fodder, peanuts, bananas, papayas, watermelon, and sugarcane. Another stocking filled with popcorn added an extra element of enrichment for the pachyderms, who received the treats from the ECCC staff dressed as Santa Claus.
Male leopard Simba amidst a Christmas shaped tree inside his enclosure.
Meanwhile, at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility, sloth bears including Kabilan, Kanmani, Digit, Gambhir, Vidur, Mowgli, and Ron were presented with gift-wrapped treats, turning the occasion into a festive gift-giving event. The bears eagerly opened their gifts, revealing an assortment of popcorn, dates, and chopped fruits like watermelon and papayas, all drizzled with honey.
Resident elephant Sanjay was treated to a ‘Fruit Feast’ on the occasion.
Down south, the caregivers at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bangalore, the caregivers and staff turned in-house Santas and diligently decorated a Christmas-tree shaped structure made of fodder, with various fresh fruits latching on to it. Resident sloth bears namely Shari, Suvarna, Tulsi, Tate, Deva, and Kavi actively engaged in plucking the fruits, while also taking a shot at the various wrapped gift boxes that were hung throughout their open fields.
The bears were presented with gift-wrapped treats, consisting of popcorn, dates and chopped fruits.
Lastly, at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar, Maharashtra, rescued leopards Simba, Aditi, and Shivshree participated in Christmas festivities. The caregivers cleverly strung pieces of meat, hanging from a tree inside Simba’s enclosure. On the other hand, female leopards Aditi and Shivshree, who share the same enclosure, were presented gift-wrapped boxes with a ‘Merry Christmas’ message on display!
The leopards were presented gift-wrapped boxes with a ‘Merry Christmas’ message on display.
Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said, “Many of the rescued animals under our care have gone through harrowing and cruel past. As the holiday season approaches, these special treats serve as more than just festive indulgences – they are essential tools in fighting off boredom and keeping the rescued animals at our centres engaged.”
The staff at the facilities dressed as Santa Claus.
Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder and Secretary, Wildlife SOS said, “Witnessing the bears and elephants revelling in the Christmas-themed enrichments was truly heartening, especially considering the challenging past many of these animals have endured. That is why food-based enrichments such as fresh fruits, dates drizzled with honey, and structural enrichments such as platforms can be immensely helpful.”
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