Amazing moments at the annual Pumpkin Party in Wolf Park, Indiana.
The Wolf Park uses the pumpkins as “enrichment,” or a situation designed to break the daily routine of the sanctuary’s wolves, coyotes and foxes.
Animals benefit mentally and physically from enrichment activities and the challenge of figuring out new problems, such as getting at the goodies hidden in a pumpkin.
For the Pumpkin Party, celebrated around Halloween each year, Wolf Park staff and volunteers create jack-o-lanterns filled with tasty, animal-friendly treats for the wolves, coyotes and foxes.
Each animal gets his or her own but sometimes they are sure that another one is better than the one given to them, and will “swap” pumpkins with another animal, whether they like it or not!
Guests will have the chance to watch the animals figure out how to get the snacks inside, or to try to figure out how to move or pick up a pumpkin that is very round and can roll.
Each wolf approaches this environmentally enriched activity with his or her own special flair.