With Halloween just around the corner, SEA LIFE centres up and down the country are ensuring their animals don’t miss out on the spooktacular celebrations. Penguins, otters, ants, iguanas and seals have all enjoyed pumpkin treats this October as part of their enrichment program, helping them to enjoy the spooky season.
At SEA LIFE Weymouth, Loch Lomond and Scarborough, it’s no surprise that the playful Asian short-clawed otters had a ‘fang-tastic’ time rummaging inside their pumpkins. These clever creatures are able to complete complex enrichment tasks, so it’s no wonder they foraged for the treats with ease.
Meanwhile, at the National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, the cheeky and curious gentoo penguins have had waves of fun picking treats out of pumpkins in their icy enclosure. Even the aquarium’s octopus got in on the action! Birmingham is also home to the UK’s first sea otters, Ola and Ozzy and whilst they’re already used to cold winter climates, the pair celebrated Halloween with icy colourful treats.
Further down the country, SEA LIFE Brighton treated Eugene the Iguana to his own pumpkin treat; he’s normally no stranger to chomping on fruit, but he preferred to pose for a photo with his new friend instead.
Even the smallest of SEA LIFE’s creatures didn’t miss out on the Halloween fun. Great Yarmouth‘s leafcutter ants are accustomed to carrying leaves over hundreds of miles, but this was given a seasonal switch-up as they were treated to pumpkin-shaped leaves instead to practice their strength.
Jonny Rudd, Curator at National SEA LIFE Birmingham, said: “It’s been great fun to see our animals get in the spooky spirit this October. However, whilst the images are adorable, it’s important to point out that activities like this are great enrichment for the creatures. Playing and interacting with different objects, such as coloured ice and pumpkins, allows our creatures to improve their wellbeing and stimulate their natural behaviours such as foraging for food and hunting.”
For further information and to visit a SEA LIFE centre for yourself, please visit the website here: www.visitsealife.com
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