San Francisco Zoo Adapts Dog Toy for Feeding Rhinos

NBC Bay Area ^ | 6/22 | Tamara Palmer

[nickcarraway]

A circular dog puzzle feeding toy called Foobler is being built in a large scale format to feed rhinos at the San Francisco Zoo.

Experts at the Zoo are wondering whether such a toy would encourage their rhinos to exhibit more natural foraging behaviors.

An Asian rhino named Gahati and a black rhino named Boone enjoy playing with large balls so a rhino-sized Foobler would probably be received really well by the pair, noted Jason Watters, vice president of wellness and animal behavior at the Zoo.

"If we can combine their desire to play basically soccer with a foraging goal, we can see if we can drive their interest in their environment a bit more," he said in a fundraising video.

The Zoo was able to raise $15,000 in order for Foobler to construct the rhino-size version, according to Newsweek. Watch the fundraising video below:

[nickcarraway]

[ClearCase_guy]

"If we can combine their desire to play basically soccer with a foraging goal ..."

It's a natural for a Kick-starter campaign.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Fill it full of rhino kibble.

[no-to-illegals]

Foobler

created by giant dung beetles.

[ETL]

Don't feed them! Let em starve!

[jmacusa]

Are they saying ‘’adapt’’ or do they mean ‘’adopt’’?

[twister881]

One for each house of Congress and a couple for the White House.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Probably adapt...since you’d need a few hundred dog treat balls to feed a rhino

[jmacusa]

Yeah, I guess that's what they mean. I don't know,remnants of my Catholic education I suppose. Nuns always at you to use the right word and all. Proper word usage. And spelling, although I have to refer to spellcheck once and awhile. Honest to blue blazes tonight on Fox News I saw the word "Rhodesia'' spelled ''rowdeesha''.

[Ken H]

I first read the headline as 'San Francisco Zoo Adapts Toy Dog for Feeding Rhinos'

[KneelBeforeZod]

I got one of those Jolly Balls for my dog. They are meant for horses... I figured with those giant teeth and heads a dog would be no match for a horse toy...but he tore it to pieces. Hopefully the rhino experiment goes better

[pigsmith]

I thought it said "San Francisco Zoo Adopts Toy Dog for Feeding Rhinos". What?? ...Rhinos eat chihuahuas? .... oh, wait - lemme go find my reading glasses.