Asian elephants kick around colorful balls at the Safari

Elephants at the Safari in Israel received a special enrichment activity on Wednesday morning, colorful rolling footballs that brought new excitement to their enclosure. The animals chased the balls, pushed them, rolled them, kicked them, and tried to figure out how the objects responded to touch and movement.

The Safari said the activity was meant as more than entertainment. It is part of a broader effort to stimulate the elephants physically and mentally, encouraging curiosity, movement, and play.

The ball game also involved coordination between the elephants’ legs and trunks, leg movement, fine motor skills, touch, and the exploration of different textures and surfaces. The Safari noted that elephants use touch extensively as part of how they investigate the world, and the balls offered them a particularly intriguing sensory experience.