Elephants gather round the Christmas tree

We have now put away our holiday decorations. It’s sad seeing all those Christmas trees left on the curbside for the January pick-up slot. I’m glad to hear Noah’s Ark Zoo in the UK is taking in  leftover christmas trees to enrich animal habitats.

Once the fairy lights go out and the ornaments are back in the box there is little use for Christmas trees. This popular traditional market was worth almost US$ 5 billion (EUR 4.8 billion) in 2024.

Did you know it takes around seven years for a tree to grow tall enough to harvest? Due to their short life cycle around 74 million are planted worldwide every year.

Rehomed trees

After Twelfth Night they are commonly recycled into insulation material or mulch and chippings for wildlife and parks. The animals of Noah’s Ark Zoo are now taking in the fresh pine scent. More than 15 000 trees have been rehomed at the zoo over the last five years.

The rhinos and elephants especially enjoy foraging the trees for food while playfully nibbling the branches. They provide a good scratching surface too. Smaller creatures like to play in the newly planted pine forest while others seek shelter for some well-earned shut-eye.

Global schemes

More zoos have launched Christmas collection schemes including those in Berlin, Belfast and Oakland. They provide a nice change of scenery for bears, giraffes, tigers, zebras and chimpanzees – and are a rare delicacy for the exotic animals.

With more people donating their trees, supplies can last months, according to Dobelnieki Deer Park in Latvia. It says pine needles provide a healthy source of vitamins in the cold winter.

Austria’s Vienna Zoo has just received a new batch of trees from Schönbrunn Palace – where the famous princess Sissi lived. I heard they are most popular with the water-buffalo.

Free entry

The Dutch AquaZoo even hands out free tickets to anyone donating a christmas tree. The same goes for a llama petting zoo in our neighbourhood (be sure to check your nearest zoo for a similar campaign). It’s a good excuse to take my son Robin and teach him about the sustainable Christmas spirit!

Connecting circular themes and life lessons with play is the way to go, I think.

By the way, have you come up with any new year’s resolutions? I dread the term alone. It’s so dramatic, isn’t it? For me, I simply strive to be grateful for the -however small- moments of happiness I experience and to spend more quality time with my family and friends.

I think the baby elephants trotting around the Christmas trees in Berlin would agree with me.