needing to eat depending on the time of year because of their cold-blooded nature .
On first glance , the zoo commissary kitchen could pass for the kitchen of any local restaurant , with stainless steel prep tables and walk-in coolers filled to the brim with fresh produce , high-grade meats and sustainably harvested seafood . That is , of course , until you notice some of the carnivores ’ favorite treats , such as whole frozen mice or blood popsicles .
The Audubon staff prepares restaurant-quality food for thousands of animals daily , resulting in a grocery bill upwards of $ 70,000 every month . It ’ s not enough that the animals ’ diets are just healthy , but they also need to be tasty . In addition to meeting each animal ’ s unique nutritional needs , Audubon ’ s commissary and animal experts need to be almost psychic in discerning shifts in preferences among their clientele . One day the Zoo ’ s orangutans may favor sweet potatoes , then the next turn their noses up at them in favor of ripe melons .
Knowing the different species and individual animals ’ taste preferences also allows staff to use their meals as enrichment tools , introducing novel flavors and textures and delivering the food in ways that challenge the animals to engage in natural behaviors , such as having to climb or dig or use a tool to get at the food . Animal care and commissary staff have fun theming the animals ’ enrichment items around holidays , such as offering pumpkins around Halloween , treats in
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