AP Strange News

Unsold Christmas trees are on the menu for elephants and bison at the Berlin Zoo

An Asian elephant plays with a Christmas tree during the annual Christmas tree feeding at Berlin Zoo, in Berlin, Thursday Jan. 4, 2024. There's something different on the menu for the elephants and some of their fellow residents at the Berlin Zoo: Christmas trees. The treats were unwrapped at the zoo on Thursday in what has become an annual event. (Jens Kalaene/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — There’s a bit of post-Christmas cheer on the menu for elephants and other tenants at the Berlin Zoo: they can chomp on Christmas trees that didn’t find a home.

The tree treats were unwrapped Thursday in what has become an annual event. Elephants tore off branches with their trunks and either gobbled them or tossed them around their enclosure.

The European bison nestled into the trees before starting to munch on them. And reindeer sniffed and played with the conifers.

The zoo takes only fresh, unsold trees from select vendors. It doesn’t accept trees from the public, which could contain chemicals or leftover decorations.