Toy donations bring out the kid in animals at Memphis Zoo

The doorway was a little small, but that didn't stop Mwelu from squeezing his way inside for a quick look.

Mwelu, a Western Lowland Gorilla, and his three female companions weren't sure what to make of the new addition to their habitat at the Memphis Zoo, but simian body language seemed to indicate they were impressed.

"It's not about just giving toys to the animals," noted curator Courtney Janney. "It's about changing up their environment. That's not just physical stimulation; it's mental stimulation as well."

Thanks to Janney and plenty of Facebook friends, the zoo's animal population has lots to stimulate them these days.

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Janney came up with the idea of collecting children's toys, those the kids had outgrown or in which they had lost interest, and giving them to her animal family.

"I'm part of a Facebook group where I donate or sell my kids' stuff," said Janney, a mother of two. "It's always been in the back of my mind that if I asked for donations to the zoo, people might donate."

And donate they did -- the fort that enthralls the four gorillas; several plastic cars, just the right size for the Sulawesi Crested Black Macaques to sit in or (more likely) tip over; slides, basketball hoops, sand tables and water tables. 

"It was amazing to me because people could have very easily looked to sell them," Janney said. "But I posted a picture of a monkey with one of those Cozy Coupe cars, and people just went nuts over it."

It really is a win-win, Janney noted. The donations keep discarded toys out of the landfill, while providing the stimulation animals need. Making sure they get it is part of the zoo's accreditation process. 

Jennifer Brown is a regular zoo patron who saw Janney's Facebook appeal for toys. She sent a stock photo of the fort she was willing to donate.

"One of our favorite family outings is the Memphis Zoo," Brown, a mother of three, said in a video Facebook produced for its Community Voices feature. "She (Janney) said, 'You've made every monkey's Christmas dream come true.'

"I chuckle because I think, 'that was in our back yard. Now, primates are playing on our castle.'"

Janney said "it speaks volumes" that the community has been so supportive of the zoo through the toy donations. 

"They just donated without hesitation," Janney said. "They were showing it to their kids, and the kids were totally willing to donate too."

There are certain donations that cannot be accepted -- no sharp edges, no metal toys, no toys with lots of parts since some of the animals, Janney notes, are very adept at taking toys apart.

"But," Janney added, "if anyone wants to donate, I'm willing to talk to them about pretty much anything. Some of our animals like to destroy the toys, so we're always looking for donations."

Anyone wishing to donate can contact the zoo at zooinfo@memphiszoo.org.