The Effectiveness of Enrichment

Based on the evaluation of trends and the answers to the questions posed, is it necessary to re-adjust any of the enrichment provided? Which enrichment initiatives should we continue? New enrichment initiatives can be suggested and less than successful ones discarded.

This last step in the SPIDER framework involves making any changes needed after the documentation and evaluation process. As with all successful programs, there comes a time to stop, evaluate and make changes as necessary to ensure continued success. Re-adjustment is a vital part of providing quality enrichment. Re-adjustment can be done by:

• Using the information from the evaluation part of the SPIDER framework to make appropriate changes to the enrichment provided (e.g., raising a puzzle-feeder higher off the ground to promote more foraging by the gibbons).
  
• Making changes to the method of documentation used, or the questions being asked for a particular enrichment initiative or animal.

The subjective assessment summary (decribed in documenting section) combines “documenting,” “evaluating.”, and “re-adjusting.” Keepers , as a group , discuss the animal’s responses to specific enrichment initiatives, whether that enrichment encourages the behaviour it was intended to encourage, (it’s effectiveness), and whether any changes to that enrichment should be made (e.g., presenting it two times per week instead of daily).