‘Underwater trick-or-treating?’ Take a peek at how zoo animals celebrate Halloween
Whether they’re devouring pumpkins on land or “trick-or-treating” under water, zoo animals across the United States are finding ways to celebrate Halloween.
At the Phoenix Zoo, pumpkin-themed treat buckets made for a festive time in the stingray pool, according to video obtained by Storyful. The animals are seen gliding toward the containers, making for an “underwater trick-or-treating” experience, the Arizona wildlife center wrote this month on Twitter.
It was a similar scene at the Oregon Zoo, where officials say three river otters went “fish-or-treating.” Video shows the animals dipping their heads into a jack-o’-lantern before pushing it into the water and swimming alongside.
At the same wildlife center, carved pumpkins served as vessels for a group of hungry goats to access their leafy treats, according to footage the zoo posted on Facebook.
Pumpkins themselves appeared to be a favorite for many animals, too.
At the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island, video captures a rodent called agouti munching on a pumpkin. And at San Diego Zoo in California, a giant reptile was seen latching onto a pumpkin to mark the start of October.
In Missouri, video showed a tiger using its teeth to break apart a pumpkin, puzzling some social media users. People commenting on the Facebook page of the Dickerson Park Zoo wondered if it was a common snack for the known meat eaters.
“It has some meat inside, but he’s also shredding and eating some of the pumpkin,” the Springfield zoo wrote in response.
Cameras also captured animals big and small putting their heads face-first into pumpkin treats at the Oklahoma City Zoo, according to a Facebook post from the recent Chomp and Stomp festivities.
Reminders of fall also were on hand at the event, where photos show a primate carrying a Halloween bucket and a bobcat reaching for a bat decoration.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 11:59 AM with the headline "‘Underwater trick-or-treating?’ Take a peek at how zoo animals celebrate Halloween."
