Halloween comes early for animals at Whipsnade Zoo

François' langur monkeys, yaks, macaques and babirusas have tucked into some spooky treats at Whipsnade Zoo ahead of Halloween. 

Kiwi the Sulawesi crested macaque tucking into a spooky treat at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo) Baby yaks Ron and Lily were among the new arrivals at Whipsnade presented with spook-tacular surprises on Wednesday, October 23 as an early Halloween treat.

Zookeepers carved petrifying pumpkins for the animals at the UK’s largest zoo, using the spooky squashes to put their foraging and hunting skills to the test.

Ron and Lily, as well as the rest of their fantastical family — all named after Harry Potter characters — wasted no time stretching their long tongues inside the pumpkins to forage for their breakfast treat of tasty hay.

The yaks were treated to some hay-filled Halloween treats at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo) Meanwhile, over at Whipsnade Zoo’s newest habitat, Monkey Forest, a troop of endangered François' langurs, including their bright orange pumpkin-esque babies, and critically endangered Sulawesi crested macaques did some trick-or-treating of their own.

Discovering their expansive homes had been decorated with pumpkins, the primates had to use their sense of smell to work out which pumpkins were filled with food — the treats — and which had been left empty — the tricks.

Draco the yak investigating a hay-filled pumpkin at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo)
A Babirusa pig gives a pumpkin a sniff at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo)
The Bedfordshire zoo’s babirusa brothers, Jaya and Riko, got stuck into demolishing the ghoulish gourds.

The deer pigs used their teeth and tusks to rip open each pumpkin, taking particular delight in crunching the top and stalk.

The babirusa pigs quickly demolished the Halloween treats at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo)

Halloween comes early

Whipsnade Zoo’s animal manager Hayley Jakeman said: “October is always a magical month at our conservation zoo, made more so by the keepers coming up with inventive ways to make sure our animals aren’t missing out on any Halloween fun.

“A lot of our animals get fed root vegetables such as butternut squash and carrots, but pumpkins are a once-a-year novelty for them.” 

Draco the yak enjoying some pumpkins at Whipsnade Zoo (Image: Whipsnade Zoo) “Creating stimulating activities, such as using in-season pumpkins to encourage natural behaviour like foraging and playing, sees our animals put their skills to use.” 
 
With over 600 acres to explore, Whipsnade Zoo is the perfect autumnal destination for a day out this October half-term holiday.

With a packed schedule of terrifying animal talks, ghastly ghost tours, a ghoulish graveyard trail, and a range of creepy crafts, there’s plenty for you to sink your teeth into! 
 
For parents wanting a way to entertain their little monsters this half term, families can treat themselves to a trip to Whipsnade Zoo and discover more than 10,000 animals, including yellow-eyed vampire crabs and ‘demons of the forest’ anoa.

Whipsnade Zoo is part of ZSL, a science-driven conservation charity, working to protect and restore wildlife in the UK and around the world.