Halloween Treats
Posted at 11:38 am October 31, 2005 by Yadira Galindo
Halloween came early at the Wild Animal Park. On Friday, Izu, Oshana and Mina, three of the big cats at Lion Camp were given four pumpkins with little bits of ground meat tucked inside or on top to attract them. Oshana didn’t need any extra enticement! She’s never been one to shy away, which is why it was no surprise to see her immediately pick up a whole pumpkin in her mouth and run off with it. Izu, the male, followed close behind, nipping at her tail hoping she would drop it, but of course Oshana did not. When she did finally put it down Izu tried unsuccessfully to take the pumpkin, but Oshana, whose name means ” strong,” illustrated how she got her name.
Mina, being the independent cat, simply explored the exhibit and found her own pumpkin. Izu unfortunately needed a little encouragement from his keepers to find his own pumpkin, which he finally did, but eventually the three cats came together to play keep away with remnants of what were once whole pumpkins. The most entertaining were Oshana and Mina together, particularly when they flew into and over the Land Rover with one holding half a pumpkin in her mouth. It was very amusing seeing one cat on the roof of the Land Rover protecting her orange prize while the other peered up at her from inside the truck. Looking down at Lion Camp from the Balloon Safari ride it was apparent the cats enjoyed this seasonal enrichment item because there were bits of orange all over the exhibit. I felt sorry for the keepers who would have to clean up that mess!
But the lions weren’t the only ones to get pumpkins. The western Rueppell’s vultures and the hooded vultures in the Heart of Africa exhibit had pumpkins prepared. But these were filled with something more ghoulish, including whole rats, cow tongue and cow spleens. Sound appetizing? Well, for the vultures it was like finding chocolate or lollipops! Watching them peck through the jack-o-lanterns’ eyes and mouths definitely said Happy Halloween.
Yadira Galindo is a public relations representative for the Zoological Society of San Diego.
See video of the Halloween fun!
Read blogs about the lions of Lion Camp in the Keeper Stories category.
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October 31st, 2005 at 7:54 pm
Thanks so much for these blogs and the videos! The animals can’t say so, but I’m sure they appreciate all that you do to keep them healthy, active, and interested. And so do we!