Animals at the Oregon Zoo Play, Devour and Smash Pumpkins
Zoo animals get in the Halloween spirit with a spooky snack.
— -- These pumpkins may be carved with spooky faces but they've got nothing on these hungry critters.
Oregon Zoo animals were given a hearty treat of carved pumpkins on Tuesday. A video posted on the zoo's Facebook page shows river otters, giraffes and black bears getting their pumpkin fix.
"The black bears actually love the pumpkins. They adore it," Julie Christie, a senior zookeeper, told ABC News. "The otters are more interested in figuring out how to get the fish out."
Christie said it's a stimulating activity for the animals. Some of the carved pumpkins were filled with food treats.
"It's always exciting to see the animals foraging on food items and exhibiting natural behavior," Christie said.
This weekend, the zoo will hold an event titled "Squishing of the Squash," where elephants will be tromping and chomping on giant locally-sourced pumpkins.
Zookeepers will also indulge animals with other seasonal treats, including pumpkins.
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