Olympic enrichment

Animals across Longleat have been getting in on the Olympic action from wrestling to synchronised swimming.

The Olympic Games opening ceremony takes place in Paris tomorrow - 26 July -  and the games run until 11 August but at Longleat, enrichment exercises are a regular feature of the animals’ lives.

Photographer Tom Anders captured Oryx and Eland fencing with their horns, lions wrestling and showing their artistic gymnastic skills while the sea lions raced across the historic Half Mile Pond in the video.

Both the Giant and Asian short clawed Otters showed off their prowess with artistic – or synchronised - swimming elegantly moving through the water with ease.

The cheetahs were captured sprinting at more than 60mph as they chased the feed wagon while the wolves were more suited to the longer distances as they raced at 25mph while the legendary monkeys performed high jumps from the ground to branches.

Meanwhile at the Family Farmyard the wallaby and kangaroo showed off their long jumps – at times they can reach a staggering four metres.

Darren Beasley, head of animal operations, at Longleat, which was the first Safari Park to open outside Africa in 1966 said: “In the safari park we encourage the animals to hunt or chase for their food as they would do in the wild; the keepers will also make enrichment toys which encourages foraging.

“Our keepers and animals are the Stars of the Park and this summer we will be showcasing all the different activities daily as we encourage guests to get up close to our animals and find out more about the many rare and endangered species we care for.”

Stars of the Park is running until 1 September and will see pop-up stations across the park with different creatures and keepers featuring at the sessions each day.

“It’s an opportunity for us to talk about the enrichment activities, conservation and research with guests, answer questions and much more,” says Darren.