Giraffes, lions, pademelons, quokkas, and echidnas of Sydney’s Taronga Zoo began the Christmas festivities early this week, opening up gift-wrapped food treats and Christmas-themed tasty decorations.
Zookeepers prepared the surprises to get the animals into the holiday spirit, maintain natural foraging skills, and engage with the world around them.
![Giraffes wait patiently for their Christmas-themed gifts. (William West/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F24%2FGettyImages-460174502-taronga-zoo-christmas-600x790.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
While the quokkas and pademelons were more hesitant, the echidnas tucked into hand-made Christmas wreaths peppered with sugar ants, and other animals at the zoo were quick to pounce on the gift-wrapped presents, showing off their foraging skills to uncover the food inside.
![A Cotton-Top Tamarin inspects some Christmas crackers. (William West/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F24%2FGettyImages-460174496-christmas-taronga-600x401.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
Cotton-top Tamarins, which have a distinctive white mane that sweeps up into a “mohawk” above their head, enjoy eating fruit, insects, lizards, leaves, frogs, and eggs.
![A Cotton-Top Tamarin chows down some edible Christmas decorations. (William West/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F24%2FGettyImages-460174488-taronga-christmas-600x388.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
Meanwhile, some chimps seemed just as happy playing with the cardboard box packaging.
![Taronga Zoo's 15-month-old chimpanzee "Fumo" opens one of his Christmas presents. (William West/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F24%2FGettyImages-460172748-christmas-taronga-600x374.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
Lions Ato and Maya and their four-month-old cubs got to see “snow” for the first time, thanks to a tonne of fishy-smelling ice donated from the Sydney Fish Markets.
![Mother 'Maya' and her four lion cubs. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F12%2F24%2FGettyImages-1351172607-taronga-zoo-ilons-600x400.jpeg&w=1200&q=75)
The festive foraging stimulates the animals and includes them in the holiday celebrations.