"Many different species of animals eat pumpkins at the zoo, but the biggest eaters of all are the elephants." said Erko Kiisel, Wildlife Manager at Tallinn Zoo.

According to Kiisel, the reason why the animals like pumpkins so much is that they are different from their usual food. "Pumpkins are a seasonal product. If an animal can get one whole, and, for example, many of our smaller animals are given a whole pumpkin with a face cut into it, they can climb in and bite it from any side and that's just the way they like it," Kiisel said.

According to Kiisel, elephants like it when a pumpkin is thrown from somewhere high up and makes a very loud bang as it hits the ground. "The pumpkin is big compared to other foods and if you give it to them whole, it makes a good banging noise when they bite into it," Kiisel added.

The animals also like to crack open a whole pumpkin themselves. "It's exciting for the animals. They can break off pieces and put them in their mouths at will. A pumpkin is quite different from an apple or a carrot."

According to Kiisel, this year has been a very good year for pumpkins. "We've already had almost twice as many pumpkins as last year, about 11 tonnes in total. Most of these have been brought in by various institutions, such as schools and kindergartens, while around three tonnes have been brought in by private individuals. Apples, carrots and beetroot have been brought along too. The apple harvest has also been a record one this year."

Kiisel stressed that the campaign is not over yet and he believes even larger quantities of pumpkins are still to come.

Tallinn Zoo is holding a pumpkin party this Saturday, October 19, during which visitors can watch different animals exploring, playing with and feasting on pumpkins. They can also take part in the "Most beautiful pumpkin patch" competition, solve a crossword puzzle and discover the different pumpkin varieties in the Botanic Garden.

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