Lorraine Williamson
Three Kings at BIOPARC isn’t just a sweet idea for children. In Valencia, the tradition has been adapted for the park’s residents too — with wrapped parcels that hide food, scents, and puzzles designed to get animals moving, sniffing, and problem-solving.
The standout moment this year featured Lubango, the park’s male African lion. Keepers presented him with a box-style “gift” containing meat and other surprises, prompting the kind of searching and claiming behaviour that sits at the heart of modern enrichment programmes.
Lubango’s challenge, and the pride dynamic on show
Lubango has been at BIOPARC Valencia since 2020, arriving from Lisbon Zoo to join the park’s lion group.
During the Three Kings’ visit, the lions’ “best bit” was simple: get to the meat first. According to reports shared by the park and local media, Lubango and lionesses Shanga and Tata chased, roared and jostled before each ended up with a prize. It looked dramatic — but it is also a controlled way of encouraging natural instincts in a safe setting.
Elephants, chimps and mongooses: different species, different “gifts”
Elsewhere in the park, the same idea played out in very different ways.
For the elephant calves Makena and Malik, the excitement came through toys, branches and boxes they could shove, tear and explore with trunks and feet. Their herd’s protective behaviour also became part of the scene, as the adults hovered close while the youngsters tested their strength.
Among the chimpanzees, the “presents” became a social event. With the whole group opening packages in search of treats, visitors could see hierarchy, sharing, tension, comfort, and the tight bond between mothers and infants, including youngsters named Cala and Ekon, alongside the baby Djibril.
Even the smaller residents had their moment. Striped (banded) mongooses tackled moving elements containing scattered food, leaning into teamwork and quick-fire coordination rather than brute force.
What “enrichment” really means
BIOPARC describes the activity as environmental enrichment: a welfare technique that adds novelty, challenge and choice, supporting positive physical and emotional states. In practice, that can mean hiding food, changing scents, introducing objects to manipulate, or creating small obstacles that encourage searching, play and movement.
It is also one of the few zoo practices that makes instant sense when you watch it. A wrapped parcel is familiar. The animal’s response is not. That contrast — festive packaging and raw instinct — is exactly what makes it such a powerful teaching moment for families.
A festive tradition with a conservation message
For visitors, it is an unusual way to experience Three Kings Day: part seasonal culture, part behind-the-scenes insight into how animal care teams try to replicate complexity in a managed habitat.
BIOPARC’s own update also points out that a children’s ticket promotion linked to the BIOPARC Foundation runs through 6 January, with funds directed towards its projects.