Mendon Zoo Adds Bubble Machine and Epic Animal Cuteness

Southwick Zoo in Mendon, Massachusetts was recently gifted a bubble machine and the animals already love it. I never would have guessed that zoo animals would enjoy playing with bubbles as much as the kids who go to visit them, but it certainly seems like they do. Even more unlikely were the animals popping these bubbles.

The staff at Southwick showed off the zoo's hyenas with the brand new bubble maker and it was so much cuter than I thought possible. You mention hyenas and I immediately picture the three gray-green characters from Disney's The Lion King. As you can see, the real-life African animals are much different.

The adorable faces as they stare at these bubbles is just too much. I'm sure cuddling with these carnivores is frowned upon, but their sweet faces so focused on those bubbles make me want to give it a try. The fact that these spotted hyenas are named Biff and Giggles just adds to the cuteness for me.

It reminds me of my kids with bubbles and how much entertainment they can get from blowing them, chasing them and popping them. That's what the hyenas seem to be enjoying, too. Zoo keepers at Southwick admit a bubble machine may seem like a strange item to gift the animals, but say it is really a perfect enrichment item for adding something new and novel to an animal's environment, plus it provides great stimulation, which every zoo animals needs.

With over 150 different variety of animal living at New England's largest zoo, I can't wait to see who plays in these bubbles next.