Gorillas are fans of ‘smashing pumpkins’

October 22nd, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

There’s nothing more rock and roll than being surrounded by female fans and causing mayhem, and ZSL London Zoo’s gorillas are no exception to the rule.

Bobby the silverback gorilla is constantly surrounded by a trio of adoring ladies, but whilst he may not be throwing televisions from hotel windows any time soon, he does enjoy demolishing pumpkins at his favourite time of year.

ZSL London Zoo is celebrating Halloween Hide’n’Freak during October half term and the gorillas will be first to get in on the act. As part of a packed schedule of fun and freaky activities, the Zoo’s four western lowland gorillas will be given pumpkins with their daily feed.

Stuffed with tasty treats, the only tricks on display will be the ingenious means Bobby and co. will use to try to get to their snacks.

Sometimes though, impatience gets the better of them and as Keeper Tracey Lee explains: ‘If all else fails, they will probably resort to pummelling the pumpkins to pieces’.

Giving the gorillas pumpkins will form part of their regular enrichment program to stimulate their natural behaviours, used by keepers at the Zoo.

Their daily feed is scattered around their island to encourage the gorillas to forage for food, as they would do in the wild.

Halloween Hide’n’Freak will be celebrated throughout half term at ZSL London Zoo from Saturday 25th October until Sunday 2nd November. Find out more