Community Corner

Zoo Animals Have Smashing Good Time with 'Truly Scary' Treats

Filling a pumpkin with rats sounds like an awful trick, but for vultures, it was the ultimate treat.

When vultures delved into their treat-filled pumpkin at the Detroit Zoo this morning, the crowd was surprised when they pulled out rats.

"That's what everyone wants to find in their pumpkins," one woman said.

Was it a lesson that beggars can't be choosers? Or a Halloween trick? 

Nope. It's all part of the Zoo’s environmental enrichment, which introduces novel or unpredictable elements such as objects, sounds, or scents that give the animals the opportunity to express choice and control in their environments and to make decisions, express individuality and behave in species-typical ways.

River otters, tigers and anteaters were some of the other animals to receive pumpkins and piñatas to play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash.

The event, affectionately referred to as Smashing Pumpkins Day, is an annual event at the zoo and draws in a herd of visitors.

Just for fun, what the worst Halloween treat you ever received? Tell us in the comments.


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