What do you do with a prize-winning pumpkin weighing 635.5 kilograms (1,401 pounds) and measuring 4.65 meters (15 feet) around? In 2021, after winning ‘Most Beautiful Pumpkin in the Netherlands’ at the Dutch Pumpkin Growing Championship, this giant gourd was donated to Arnham‘s Royal Burgers’ Zoo to feed five curious Malayan bears, also called sun bears.
The colossal pumpkin served as behavioral enrichment—planned activities that challenge captive animals to use their natural behaviors, a key to supporting their mental and physical health. From Royal Burgers’ Zoo:
“The grower had cut a square hatch out of the front to collect the seeds for the next harvest; this also gave the bears an entryway to get to work inside the fruit. Finally, a little honey was spread strategically on and inside the giant pumpkin to guarantee success. The fruit was so big that it had to be moved into the enclosure on a pallet using a forklift truck.”
“After some curious sniffing, one of the Malayan sun bears soon had its head and upper body inside the pumpkin. Not long after, another decided to enlarge the access hatch with its sharp claws to share in the treat. Within an hour, the giant fruit had been hollowed out, and several holes had been made in the hard skin. The bears seemed to have the time of their lives with the interesting and edible giant toy!”
Sun bears combine problem-solving with strength in Southeast Asia’s tropical rainforests. From Burgers Zoo:
“The sun bears are inquisitive omnivores. Their diet normally consists of insects, worms, fruits, honey, and small animals. Sun bears are the smallest bear in the Ursidae family and are similar to a large rottweiler in size and colouring. The bears have strong claws, which are excellent for climbing and digging.
“Despite their small size, sun bears are surprisingly strong. With just a slap of a front paw, they can easily push boulders an average adult man would struggle to lift, down a slope.”
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