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Many of our gibbons, we’ve learned, really enjoy pumpkins. Not only do they like to eat the raw squash itself, but they also like nibbling the on the seeds. So here are some of our favorite punkin pics from the last couple of days….

Samantha and pumpkin

Samantha, our newest animal caregiver hire, was a little doubtful at how much our gibbons would get into the whole pumpkin thing, although she got into the spirit of the season by carving this year’s pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns. Here, she sets out a pumpkin for Helen and Peppy.

 

Peppy

Peppy swooped down, grabbed the lid, and then retreated to a safe perch to enjoy his prize (where Helen wouldn’t bother him).

 

Helen

Helen stood up so she could excavate the seeds better.

 

Louie-Louie

Louie-Louie was more excited about the new orange visitor than was his companion Michelle. First he did a sort of flyover, brachiating back and for to check things out from above. Then he settled down, took off the top, and grabbed out entire handfuls of seeds, which he would eat whole.

 

Michelle

Michelle was much more fastidious. She would pluck out seeds one at a time with her thumb and index finger, then crack them open to eat the insides while discarding the shells. Then she would lick the sticky bits of pulp off her hands.

 

Tong

Tong wrestled and mock-bit at her pumpkin like it was another (big, shiny, orange) gibbon playmate.

 

Sam's jack-o’-lanterns

Samantha was impressed with the gibbons’ reactions. But then, she sort of likes pumpkins herself, and can carve a mean jack-o’-lantern….