The ball releases food in small quantities
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Elephants at a Devon zoo have been having a ball after a new toy was installed in their enclosure.
Paignton Zoo's giant elephant forage ball is a metre in circumference and weighs nearly 12 stone.
The ball, which was made in Australia, has been attached to a huge bungee cable and secured to a tree trunk and releases food in small quantities.
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: "It is like a giant game of conkers or swing-ball."
'Wary at first'
The cost of shipping the ball to Devon was covered by the Royal Mail, who donated �500 to Paignton Zoo in November last year.
Senior head mammal keeper Julian Chapman said: "Duchess and Gay (the elephants) were wary at first because it was something new in their enclosure, but when they realised there was food inside they were keen to have a go."
The zoo has won awards for its enrichment work and hosted a major conference on the subject.
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