SANFORD, Fla. – If you’re looking for some not-so-scary ways to celebrate Halloween, a visit to the zoo may be a great option.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is hosting “Zoo Boo Bash” with decorative holiday elements and activities for animals and visitors.
“We provide enrichment to our animals on a daily basis. It helps provide them an opportunity to do naturalistic behaviors in a zoological setting,” said Director of Animal Operations Christopher Torge.
This time of year, zookeepers incorporate Halloween-themed items like pumpkins as enrichment. Greater one-horned rhino PJ was given a pumpkin with food inside to encourage him to play with it, but it doesn’t always go as planned.
“You anticipate a rhino to run out and smash his pumpkin, but maybe he’s not — you never know what you’re going to get. That’s the really fun part of our job,” said Torge.
PJ walked around the enclosure greeting visitors, then eventually made his way to the pumpkin and started munching on the snack.
[🎃Enter to win Wildly Fun VIP Zoo Experience at the Central Florida Zoo]
You’ll also find plenty of Halloween décor throughout the zoo like jack-o-lantern baskets, ghosts and inflatable candy corn.
“Their habitat is their home and we want to dress it up for every occasion,” said Zoo Director Stephanie Williams.
Each year the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens hosts Zoo Boo Bash, one of the zoo’s most popular events.
“The kids can come out in costume and we encourage adults to come out in costume too. They can go trick-or-treating, we have inflatables, DJs and a face painter this year. Also new, our staff is participating in a pumpkin contest. They decorated several pumpkins that are out on display and visitors get to vote on their favorite. We’ll announce the winner on the final day of Zoo Boo Bash,” said Williams.
Zookeepers also carved and stuffed a pumpkin with live worms to feed the chickens, who have some interesting names based on the Addams Family.
“We have Wednesday, Morticia and Lily so they are spooky chickens just to begin with,” said Torge.
The event not only brings families together but encourages visitors to learn about the more than 350 animals at the zoo including rare and endangered species.
Zoo Boo Bash takes places Saturday and Sunday through the end of October. General admission tickets get you into the event. Children’s tickets are $17.95 and adult tickets cost $23.95.
Check out every episode of Riff On This in the media player below: