Link to newsround

Zoo animals enjoy spooktacular Halloween treats

 A macaque sat on a tree stump looking inside an orange carved pumpkin.Image source, Zoological Society of London
Image caption,

A Sulawesi crested macaque looking for some tasty treats

  • Published

Animals at Whipsnade Zoo are enjoying an early taste of Halloween with some special treats.

The lemurs and macaques tucked into carved pumpkins to find sweetcorn and peppers, whilst rhino Hugo enjoyed his usual breakfast of hay and cabbage.

The zoo's keepers been trying to find creative ways to encourage the animals' natural instincts to hunt and explore.

Matthew Webb, Head of Zoological Operations at Whipsnade Zoo, said: "As everyone counts down to Halloween, our zookeepers used seasonal squashes to make sure the animals don't miss out on any of the fun"

A black and white lemur say on a piece of wood. The Lemur is eating sweetcorn from the inside of an orange Halloween carved pumpkin. There are other piece of sweetcorn and peppers, spread out on the wood.Image source, Zoological Society of London
Image caption,

Ring-tailed Lemur enjoying some sweetcorn treats

Whipsnade Zoo is the largest in the UK, housing over 10,000 animals.

A black lemur is sat on a patch of green grass, looking down at a large orange pumpkin that has a halloween face carved into it. The Lemur has both it's hands on the pumpkin.Image source, Zoological Society of London
Image caption,

A black lemur grabs a pumpkin - do you think they'll spot the sesame seeds?

 A large muddy brown Rhino stood on patch of green grass. He is nibbling on some hay. There are halloween pumpkins plastered around they hay but the Rhino seems uninterested.Image source, Zoological Society of London
Image caption,

Greater one-horned rhino, Harry, nibbles on his Halloween breakfast

More Halloween stories to get you in the spooky spirit