Elephant Toys

Asian elephants living at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, MA, found a selection of large toys waiting for them when they were released into their outside habitat on Friday, April 20. The elephants were quick to explore the curious objects made of metal, rubbers tires, and wood, which were designed by MassArt students as a way to provide enrichment activities for the mammals. The toys were constructed at MassArt during the spring semsters course Toys for Elephants under the guidance of Professors Laura Brown '93 (BFA Sculpture) and Rick Brown. Prior to developing the toys, the students visited the zoo in order to interact with the elephants and to learn about their behavior. The Boston Globe covered the project and a wonderful video of the elephants playing with the toys has been posted on Youtube.
-MassArt Alumni Association