Detroit Zoo animals receive pumpkins filled with tasty treats to eat, play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash.
Wild temperatures in the upper 70s brought herds of visitors to the Detroit Zoo today hoping to see smashing pumpkins - not the alternative rock band, but rather animals ripping apart treat-filled pumpkins. "It had to be the biggest crowd we’ve had for a Smashing Pumpkins enrichment event," said Patricia Janeway, communications director. "There were probably upwards of 100 people at each habitat at any given time. And, the gorgeous weather certainly helped." Snow monkeys, rhinos and zebras were just some of the animals to receive pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks to play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash. It's all part of the Zoo’s environmental enrichment, which introduces novel or unpredictable elements such as objects, sounds, or…
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The gorillas will dig in and eat ghoulish spaghetti, the wolverines get a piñata and more!
Detroit Zoo animals will have a smashing good time on Wednesday, Oct. 24, when they receive pumpkins filled with tasty treats to eat, play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash. Each year around Halloween, the Zoo’s animal welfare staff provides environmental enrichment in the form of pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks as special holiday treats for the animals. The enrichment items are hidden throughout the animals’ habitats or prepared and placed in a unique manner to stimulate natural behaviors. For example, the primates’ pumpkins are carved out and filled with red-colored pasta. “The gorillas enjoy digging in and eating the ghoulish spaghetti,” said Animal Welfare Manager Elizabeth Arbaugh. She predicts the other animals will enjoy …
42.47534
-83.14849
Detroit Zoological Park
8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/smashing-pumpkins-at-the-detroit-zoo
710027
/locations/8023929
C
3:56 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
That's right, Scott. Much better though is that the animals at the Detroit Zoo ARE enjoying playing and eating the pumpkins. Fun for them and us. more ›