15 Animals Playing With Pumpkins For Halloween

For years, pumpkins have served as seasonal staples of food and festivity during the fall season. From pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice lattes to artistic decorations and creative costumes, we can’t get enough of the orange bulbous fruit (yes, fruit). But zoos around the country are proving that humans aren’t the only ones who can enjoy pumpkins for Halloween. Keeping in spirit with the fall, zoos from San Diego, California to Chicago, Illinois to the Bronx are letting their animal inhabitants have a little fun and a little snack. Several zoos have even photographed or filmed their animals chomping and stomping their way through their enclosures with the seasonal fruit. Here’s a collection of some of the best and most playful interactions between zoo animals and their pumpkins this year.

San Diego Zoo

For its “Cat Day” celebration, the San Diego Zoo gave one of its big cats a special treat.

Cincinnati Zoo

America's sweetheart Fiona the baby hippo is getting bigger and getting into the Halloween spirit.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

As part of National Pumpkin Day, this giant turtle got to play around with a pumpkin underwater.

St. Louis Zoo

In the Primate House and Jungle of the Apes, pumpkins were stuffed with treats.

Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo offered its animals, including this komodo dragon, pumpkins as part of its Boo at the Zoo event.

Chicago Zoological Park/Brookfield Zoo

Watch as this reticulated python slithers its way through its very own carved pumpkin at the Brookfield Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo

The Seattle zoo’s Harry the skunk has taken up residence inside his very own carved pumpkin.

Lowry Park Zoo

A baby elephant is enjoying pumpkin as a snack for National Pumpkin Day at this Tampa zoo.

Memphis Zoo

These otters have taken their pumpkin play to the water for the National Pumpkin Day event at this Tennessee zoo.

Detroit Zoo

It might not be cold just yet, but even the polar bears at the Detroit Zoo are coming out to play with pumpkins.

Oregon Zoo

In this fun (and funny) compilation, the Oregon zoo shows off how all of their animals enjoy playing around (and eating) their pumpkins. And below, the elephants show off their smashing skills:

Dallas Zoo

It looks like the Dallas Zoo’s naked mole rats are having a perfectly wonderful time digging around in their pumpkin.

Zoo Atlanta

This Abyssinian ground hornbill is trying to carve her pumpkin herself at this Atlanta zoo.

Minnesota Zoo

Not everyone is playing with their pumpkins. At the zoo in Apple Valley, Minnesota, a cheetah is simply snuggling up to theirs.

Albuquerque Biological Park

It seems like this chimpanzee prefers to snack on their pumpkin over playing with it.