Lisa the elephant eating a pumpkin
We are thrilled to receive these pumpkin donations each year, said Colleen Kinzley, Director of Animal Care, Conservation, and Research.
Oakland, CA (PRWEB) November 06, 2013
Halloween has passed, but thousands of leftover pumpkins are now becoming sweet treats for Oakland Zoo’s animals. In the last few days, truckloads of donations from local pumpkin patches have been arriving at the Zoo and zookeepers are making sure to put the orange edibles to good use. Zoo guests can see animals feasting on the orange goodies well beyond October. Besides being edible for many creatures, zookeepers transform the pumpkins into enrichment items such as food containers for geese, carved puzzles for meerkats, and play toys for tigers to tear apart.
“We are thrilled to receive these pumpkin donations each year,” said Colleen Kinzley, Director of Animal Care, Conservation, and Research. “Animals such as elephants, chimpanzees, baboons, goats, and camels enjoy eating and playing with the pumpkins. In the case of others like the lions, bats, geese, and meerkats, we use the pumpkins as feeding devices by carving holes into the pumpkins and hiding treats inside.”
***Media Advisory: On Friday, November 8th from 11:00am – 12:30pm, the Halloween leftover feast begins.***
- 11:00am Tortoises
- 11:30am Sun Bears
- 12:00pm Meerkats
- 12:30pm Tigers
Please contact Nicky Mora at (510) 632-9525, ext 130 if you plan on attending.
Oakland Zoo would like to thank Moore’s Pumpkin Patch and Holly Prinz of Pick of the Patch Pumpkins. These generous donations will make it possible for our animals to enjoy pumpkin treats for many months to come.
ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:
The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.
For more than 75 years, the East Bay Zoological Society EBZS has managed and operated both the Zoo and surrounding Knowland Park for the City of Oakland since 1982. Under its management, the Oakland Zoo presents an award-winning experience for visitors, fosters knowledge and understanding of animals and the environment through educational programs, and has earned national awards and international acclaim for its animal management and endangered species programs. Over the years, exhibit by exhibit, the Oakland Zoo has been reinvigorated and revitalized, making it a place where animals thrive and visitors enjoy. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.
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