Paws Off! Cubs Enjoy Their Very First Halloween Treats
The lion and tiger cubs have been enjoying playing with pumpkins, as we get ready to celebrate their very first Halloween.
Keepers presented whole pumpkins to the big cat youngsters and their families, as a form of seasonal enrichment to offer new sights, textures and smells, all stimulating natural behaviours.
The trio of lion cubs, born in April this year, wasted no time getting stuck in, stalking their pumpkin prey, then pouncing on them, followed by fiercely protecting them from the rest of the pride.
The pumpkins were also a huge hit, not only for the ten-month-old, Sumatran tiger cub triplets, but for their older sister too, two-year-old Lestari, who wasted no time in snatching a pumpkin up in her jaws and running off to play pumpkin-bobbing in the pool.
Although the cubs may have looked like kittens playing with balls of wool, the aftermath showed that the pumpkins’ flesh had huge teeth and claw marks gouged into them, demonstrating just how powerful these little, big cats are.
Senior Keeper of Carnivores, Shuana Jenkins, said, “Any novelty item makes excellent enrichment for our animals, giving them a chance to use some of their natural, species-typical behaviours, whilst interacting with it. The team have loved watching both our lion and tiger cubs get into the Halloween spirit with their first experience of pumpkins, with all the cubs showing just how strong they are with the unexpected ease it's taken for them to carry them around!
“Not to be outdone, the adults have also shown that their playful Halloween spirits’ remain intact, proving just how important any type of enrichment is at promoting interaction and behaviours at any age. Any pumpkins not used for theming around the Park, are donated to our animals, so if you’re visiting this spooky season, keep an eye out, as you may be in for a treat!"
Pumpkins are a common sighting here at this time of year as our Spooky Spectacular event starts on Saturday 18 October and the Park is decorated with hundreds of the orange squashes.
Guests can get involved with the spooky fun by taking part in the Monster Mystery Trail to win a tasty treat and can design a monstrous creation in the Crazy Craft Club.
New for this year is a little Frankenstein’s monster, Frankie, who will be hosting a brand-new, electrifying show, Frankie’s Monster Mash Show, at selected times daily.
Guests can even meet some of our resident monsters – Patch the pumpkin-headed scarecrow and Mitzy Monster, who will be causing mischief at appearances throughout the day.
There will also be the chance to win some amazing prizes, such as a Safari Lodges stay, in the spooky photo competition and Patch’s Potion Pursuit, by finding the hidden potion bottle somewhere in the Park.
Guests can see the lion cubs on the Safari Drive and the tiger cubs at Tiger Tropics, located in the Safari Walk area of the Park.
Spooky Spectacular runs from 18 October until 2 November and is also the last chance for guests to enjoy the Adventure Theme Park rides, before they close for the winter.
All of the Spooky Spectacular activities are included in the admission price.
