Us humans are not the only ones who enjoy pumpkin season—whether we’re carving them for Halloween or using them to make pies. It turns out the animals at the Oregon Zoo also mark this time of the year by squishing gourds and feasting on them. However, no creature seems to have as much fun as the black rhinos, as footage shared by the zoo has come to show.
The black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis) that star in the video are Jozi, and her 10-month-old calf, Tamu (Swahili for “sweet”). The fact that the pair is thriving at Oregon Zoo is something commendable, as black rhinos are critically endangered—there are only an estimated 6,421 black rhinos in the wild as of September 2024. Committed to their protection and breeding, these beautiful creatures are ambassador animals for the zoo.
In the clip, Jozi can be seen puncturing the pumpkins, which seem to have been pre-sliced for her safety. This props the gourds open, inviting the rhinos to happily munch on these tasty yet unusual treats, since pumpkins don’t grow in their native eastern Africa. “They gored the gourds,” wrote the zoo as a cheeky caption. Among the other animals that also enjoyed a seasonal treat are polar bears and elephants, who cheerfully squished them with their paws.
Oregon Zoo’s tradition of offering pumpkins to their animals, officially known as “Squishing of the Squash,” dates back to 1999. To celebrate Halloween, Hoffman’s Dairy Garden of Canby dropped off a massive 828-pound pumpkin for the Asian elephants, another flagship species of the zoo.
As the zoo explains, “Farmers often offered their overstock pumpkins for use in the zoo’s groundbreaking animal enrichment efforts—enhancing animals’ well-being with stimulating and challenging environments, objects, and activities.”
Black rhinos at the Oregon Zoo celebrate Halloween by puncturing, smashing, and munching on pumpkins.
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In the footage, an adult rhino known as Jozi and and her 10-month-old calf, Tamu, can be seen feasting on the gourds.
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Other animals, such as elephants and polar bears, joined the fun as well thanks to a seasonal tradition that dates back to 1999.
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Oregon Zoo: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Laughing Squid]
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