Elephants love twigs, tender shoots and green leaves from trees and shrubs.
Here's where you come in.
If monsoon storms have knocked down a tree in your front yard, or if you have trimmings of a certain tree species, you might be able to donate your unwanted landscaping to the animals at Reid Park Zoo.
"We're always looking for fresh, healthy donations of recently trimmed or felled landscaping from our community," the zoo's website says.
"Browse," as it's officially called, is vegetation like twigs, branches, shoots and leaves from woody plants like trees, eaten by animals. Many of the animals eat it, including elephants and giraffes who consume the largest amounts. Tapirs and goats also love to munch on fresh vegetation.
Mapenzi gnaws on plants at Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court, on Aug. 25, 2020.
And it's not just good for eating — it's also a form of enrichment for some animals who play in it or make nests or beds out of it. After animals have eaten the bark and leaves, the woody cores can be used to create what the zoo describes as "furniture" for the animals, aka fun pieces for them to climb allover. The wood can also be thrown in the chipper and turned into mulch for habitats or walking paths.
The zoo only accepts certain species, depending on what the animals can consume, as some plants aren't edible or may be toxic to the critters. You can find a full list of acceptable species here, which includes bamboo, mulberry, fig and cottonwood.
The donations shouldn't be mixed in with other kinds of vegetation, and zoo staff will need to identify the plant before accepting it. Staff can sometimes coordinate pick-ups from homes and businesses, or you can drop it off at the zoo (just reach out to them in advance!).
Fresh logs and root balls are also accepted — the zoo once accepted logs weighing more than African elephant Mabu, who is 13,000 pounds!
Oh, and the bigger and fresher the better.
To set up a browse delivery, fill out the form here and send a photo of your potential donation to the zoo.
"By giving the zoo your browse, you are helping us care for the animals and the zoo in an environmentally-friendly way!" the zoo says.
