The ‘egg’-citing day of Easter cast a festive spirit across our centres in Agra, Mathura and Maharashtra. Celebrating this day and making it special for our rescued animals have become a tradition at Wildlife SOS. Every year, we make our rescued sloth bears indulge in refreshing treats in the form of Easter ‘bunnies’ made out of watermelons. This year was a little different and a little more special as we got our rescued gentle giants and big cats to join in on the festivities!
Our team of dedicated veterinarians and caregivers combined their expertise and creativity to create innovative treats in line with the theme followed for the festival. For the sloth bears and elephants, Easter ‘bunnies’ were made! Fresh watermelons carefully peeled and carved, fig leaves placed as ears, and bananas and Indian jujube fixed as eyes — all topped with a little drizzle of honey — made for a perfect design. Not only were they delicious snacks, they were also bound to beat the heat and maintain hydration levels in the bears and elephants.
Tactfully placing these in the animals’ enclosure is a skill in itself. And all the effort was worth it when each of our furry friends had their own unique reactions upon discovering the mouth-watering goodness!
At our Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF), it was Gracie’s first Easter celebration with us, and we made sure it was a remarkable one for her. She jumped with excitement spotting the fruit ball, nudging it playfully, taking her own sweet time with this interesting looking treat before gobbling it up!
Lissy, Gracie’s neighbour who was also experiencing Easter at ABRF for the very first time, climbed up on the wooden platform in her enclosure and seemed amazed at the sight of the ‘bunnies’ that were laid out there. Soon, she could be seen tossing the watermelons around before scooping out the fruit’s juicy middle part with her long claws. She had figured it all out quicker than expected, and devoured every last bit of each.
Jenny was next. The infant sloth bear couldn’t contain her excitement upon discovering her ‘bunnies’. Perched on the raised charpai (a four-legged cot), she focused on pulling out the leaves on them before biting and relishing every bit of the melons.
At our Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC), Mathura, the day unfolded with similar vigour, and the reactions from elephants were equally precious! Our youngest one, Bani, hopped with sheer joy towards the treats, lifting her tiny trunk up, as if waiting for the ‘bunnies’ to somehow jump into her mouth! A few moments later, there were no traces of any element from the fruit feast.
For the leopards at Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC), Maharashtra, our team prepared Easter ‘eggs’ using chicken and real boiled eggs dipped in beetroot juice, turmeric and spinach gravy. The rosetted beauties were their curious selves upon discovering these colourful Easter eggs!
The wooden platforms in Aditi’s enclosure are her favourite spots to rest and groom herself. So, our team made sure to put her Easter delights right there! She carefully inspected the leaves they were placed on first, sniffing and rubbing her face on them, before realising that there was a more exciting part to this spread. She ate all the eggs one after another. Having relished every single one of them, she decided to take a long nap at the very same place!
Simba, on the other hand, had his own tryst with treats. Instead of sniffing and waiting to approach them, the young leopard was quick to reach out for the eggs arranged on top of a bole. It was a delight to watch him guzzling each!
The joyful reactions of every animal under our care instill in us the belief that we’re on the right track. And their animated expressions are the cherries on top! At Wildlife SOS, each rescued animal’s journey is special, and we prioritise their gentle care and safety at every step of the way. Most have been through severe abuse and neglect, exploitation at the hands of cruelty, or conflict situations. Our goal is simple — to nurture them into being their most natural selves. We aim to provide them with a life of freedom, companionship and love! And celebrating Easter comes as an opportunity for us to further boost our compassionate care towards the most deserving beings!
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Feature image: Vineet Singh/ Wildlife SOS
