There’s no spooking Dudley Zoo's meerkats
Spooky carved treats aren’t scaring Dudley Zoo and Castle’s animals, who are getting into the spirit of Halloween with pumpkins.
Keepers at the Castle Hill-based attraction are using the hollowed-out fruit as seasonal enrichment for many species across the 40-acre site, including its 15-strong meerkat mob.
Jay Haywood, Dudley Zoo and Castle’s assistant curator, said: “Pumpkins are great enrichment for many of our animals, as not only can we hide food treats inside for them to hunt out, but they also get to enjoy different smells and tastes that they wouldn’t necessarily be used to.”
For visitors, there are also spooky-themed fun and games during half-term, including a contactless Halloween Hunt around the zoo’s eerie site, passing some of its most haunted areas along the way.
Guests can also see the creepy critters in the Reptile House, as well as visiting bats, rats and beetles in Castle Creatures, where they can also learn more about the haunted 950-year-old Dudley Castle.
Elsewhere on site, visitors can spot the zoo’s newest arrivals including Flo the Linne’s two-toed sloth, Nina the Colombian black spider monkey and Bill the Barbary Sheep.
Dudley Zoo and Castle reopened for the first time in June, after 12 weeks of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Safety measures include social distancing queue lines, a one-way system around the site marked by painted floor arrows and hand sanitiser stations around the 40-acre site.
Tickets to visit Dudley Zoo and Castle must be pre-booked online, by visiting www.dudleyzoo.org.uk.
