The Huski at work in the elephant enclosure

Zoos Victoria recently purchased a Toyota Huski 5SDK8 to help move various materials around the endangered Asian elephants' precinct, which encourages the elephants' natural behaviours.

Zoos Victoria partnerships manager Daniella Jong says the work is part of an enrichment program at Zoos Victoria, which includes keeper Chris Lekos who is part of the passionate elephant team providing environmental changes for the elephants, both inside their night-barn and outside in their paddocks.

"Elephants are such intelligent creatures and Melbourne Zoo's keepers are regularly making changes to their environment to keep them physically and mentally stimulated," Jong says.

The Huski skid steer loader allows large volumes of enrichment materials to be moved in and out of the Trail of the Elephants. For example, the Huski is used to regularly refurbish the elephants' night-den by moving huge amounts of coarse sand into mounds, which the elephants love to play on.

The Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) Victorian area sales manager - Skid Steer, Thomas Machar, says he very much enjoyed being able to provide a machine for such a noble purpose.

"It is an absolute pleasure to supply a new Toyota Huski to help build new enrichment at the Trail of the Elephants exhibit at Melbourne Zoo," he says.

"Elephants are, obviously, large animals, requiring both big and small enrichment activities and TMHA is proud to be able to be a part of their care within Zoos Victoria, an organisation that does so much to promote conservation efforts around the world."