Boston Arcadia CAT students unveil plaque at Pretoria Zoo
14 Mar 2006
Five Arcadia Boston College CAT students were treated to an amazing display of the inherent intelligence of animals, when ACCA South Africa sponsored a lioness on behalf of all ACCA students in South Africa.
Robyn Ingle and her team at the Pretoria Zoo invaded the lioness's enclosure and hoisted a sheep carcass onto a tree and deliberately left scents and smells in an attempt to understand more closely how the lionesses would deal with the invasion of their environment.
Not surprisingly, the lionesses proceeded with caution and really surveyed their environment for threats before spotting the sheep carcass dangling from the tree. This "enrichment" exercise proved that the animal thinks before it acts – the threat of danger was first assessed before it could proceed to the ultimate prize of food.
This amazing display of intelligence was the highlight of the function where the Boston students unveiled a plaque, commemorating ACCA's pledge to the lionesses.