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Zoo Animals, Crowds Have a Smashing Good Time

Detroit Zoo animals receive pumpkins filled with tasty treats to eat, play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash.

 
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A rhino enjoys a pumpkin at the Detroit Zoo today.
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A snow monkey enjoys a cornstalk at the Detroit Zoo today.
A snow monkey discovers a pumpkin at the Detroit Zoo today.
Zebras get some cornstalks to horse around with at the Dertoit Zoo today.
The rhinos take part in the Smashing Pumpkins enrichment event at the Detroit Zoo today.

Wild temperatures in the upper 70s brought herds of visitors to the Detroit Zoo today hoping to see smashing pumpkins - not the alternative rock band, but rather animals ripping apart treat-filled pumpkins.

"It had to be the biggest crowd we’ve had for a Smashing Pumpkins enrichment event," said Patricia Janeway, communications director. "There were probably upwards of 100 people at each habitat at any given time. And, the gorgeous weather certainly helped."

Snow monkeys, rhinos and zebras were just some of the animals to receive pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks to play with, roll around in, tear apart and smash.

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.

Becky Forma, of Redford, had a great time watching the chimps play with and eat their pumpkins. She admitted the weather was a treat, too.

"This may be one the the last nice days of the year," Forma said.

Related Topics: Detroit Zoo and smashing pumpkins

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