The Denver Zoo is known as one of the best zoos in the United States. Being one of the most famous, it also features one of the best conservation programs around!
What started as a gift of an American black bear to the mayor of Denver in 1896 has grown into Denver Zoo, a groundbreaking Colorado institution. Denver Zoo was the first of its kind in the U.S. to introduce naturalistic habitats to improve the welfare of its animals. Since then, the zoo has worked hard to extend its conservation efforts beyond its animal population and runs global conservation programs on four different continents. – Road Affair
After watching this video, however, you might love the Denver Zoo for a different reason!
A few years ago, the Denver Zoo decide to do something a little bit special for one of its residents. Tensing is a greater one-horned rhino who has been with the zoo for quite some time and she has a few things that she loves – music being the most interesting out of them!
While you may not think of a rhino being musically inclined, Tensing has demonstrated time and time again that she really enjoys music!
The science seems to be pretty clear, too. Animals seem to enjoy music that closely resembles their own species sounds. An ambulance with similar frequencies to a howling dog, for example, may get your dog running around the house howling along.
Against the conventional wisdom that music is a uniquely human phenomenon, recent and ongoing research shows that animals actually do share our capacity for it. But rather than liking classical or rock, Snowdon, an animal psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has discovered that animals march to the beat of a different drum altogether. They enjoy what he calls “species-specific music”: tunes specially designed using the pitches, tones and tempos that are familiar to their particular species. – Live Science
With that in mind, the Denver Zoo decided they wanted to give Tensing a gift!
What better gift for a rhino that loves music than a private concert from the Colorado Symphony?! The famous group came out and sat just outside his enclosure to play him a set. As the flutes played and music ran out, Tensing pointed her ears towards the music, showing that she was giving them her full attention.
As the music played on, Tensing clearly loved it!
She was super engaged and being able to see the musicians in person seemed to make all the difference. The keepers have played music over their speakers in the barn, but being at an in-person concert was way more up the rhino’s alley.
The musicians were thankful to be a part of such a wonderful experience.
Going through different styles of music, you could see that Tensing was interested in the novelty of the high notes and was more comfortable and relaxed with the low notes. The staff has even let the rhinos start playing small keyboards with their stiff upper lips!
Check out the video below!
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