In an annual tradition, the animals at Berlin Zoo received Christmas trees that didn't find a home. The elephants tore off branches with their trunks, threw the trees around in their enclosures, and ate up large parts of the trees.
They don't just serve as food, they're also used to keep the animals occupied, says Florian Sicks, who is in charge of the mammals.
The animals can fight with them, they can rub against them, they can throw themselves over them and do a lot of other things with these trees, he adds.
However, the public's Christmas trees are not welcome – only fresh, unsold trees from selected suppliers are accepted by the zoo. The reason is that the public's Christmas trees may contain chemicals or even leftover decorations.
