TAMPA – Penguins, alligators and skunk sisters at The Florida Aquarium are celebrating Halloween with pumpkin enrichment activities designed to encourage natural behaviors and provide mental and physical stimulation.
The aquarium’s animal care team creates these experiences to engage the animals through new sights, textures and opportunities to explore, play and forage.
Some of that activity includes:
- African penguins investigate a pumpkin carved with a rabbit design, topped with anchovies and capelin, two types of fish included in their diet.
- Striped skunk sisters Ginger and Juniper interact with the pumpkins and sample sweet potato, bell pepper, celery and mealworms.
- American alligators push the pumpkins around in the water with one gator chomping down on the gourd.
Visitors can enjoy more fall festivities at The Florida Aquarium, including Guppyween, which runs now through Halloween with trick-or-treating on Oct. 31. Activities include animal encounters, costumed divers and a new scavenger hunt throughout the week. Children in costumes receive free admission with a paid adult ticket at the ticket window.
On the web: flaquarium.org
