Halloween Bam-BOO for Drusillas’ Red Pandas

This week at Drusillas Park red pandas, Mulan and Tibao received a seasonal surprise when zoo keepers presented them with a frightful feast of BamBoo, marking the start of Shriek Week at the zoo. 

The bamboo was inserted into the top of jack-o-lanterns providing a hairy looking Halloween feast. Not knowing whether it was a trick or treat, the pandas approached the seasonal surprise with caution before nibbling their way through the tasty tuck.

Tibao and Mulan were introduced at Drusillas Park earlier this year as part of the European breeding programme and it is hoped they will have a family of their own in due course.  In the wild these mild mannered creatures inhabit the Himalayan mountains of China, India and Nepal where they are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting. They live on their own or in small family groups and live almost entirely on bamboo.

Due to their seasonal nature, pumpkins are not often enjoyed by the residents of the zoo. Nevertheless, they make an ideal animal snack as they are a great source of potassium, Vitamin A and are also high in fibre. The seeds are rich in minerals, essential fats, protein and are a good source of zinc, providing a delicious and nutritious nibble. However, the pandas were only interested in their beloved bamboo!

Delivering the animals’ meals in imaginative and unusual ways is part of the zoo’s daily enrichment programme. This ensures they receive a varied and diverse diet, as well as encouraging them to think and work for their food as they would in the wild.

Plus there will be lots of other seasonal surprises during Halloween Shriek Week at Drusillas between Saturday 26^th October and Sunday 3^rd November. Check out our Halloween page for more information.