Rhinos get in the Halloween spirit from Adorably Goring Pumpkins

The black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon, got into the Halloween spirit by smashing large pumpkins.

The short video originally shared by Laughing squidfeatures an adult black rhinoceros, Jozi, and her 10-month-old calf Tamu (which means “cute” in Swahili) having a great time breaking pumpkins apart. While black rhinos do not encounter pumpkins in the wild in their native East Africa, winter squash is a healthy, if irregular, treat for the hook-lipped pachyderms.

An essential part of the animal management plan in a zoo is a variety of activities with animals. This includes any activity that reasonably mimics the natural behavior of a species and, in the case of a black rhinoceros, ranges from foraging for food to activating various senses. Playing with and eating pumpkins fulfills several requirements, as the rhinos must break apart the large berries with their horns before they can eat them. Rhinos rely heavily on smell, sound and tactile sensations in the wild, and gourd spearing ticks all three boxes.

Not only are videos like the one above cute, they are a good demonstration of an animal's natural behavior and help encourage strong community engagement. This ensures that the zoo has visitors—and money—not only to care for its animals, but also to participate in important conservation programs, like the Oregon Zoo's for its black rhinos.

Because the black rhino is critically endangered and there are only an estimated 6,421 individuals in the wild, according to the International Rhino Foundation's annual State of the Rhino report as of September 2024, any accredited zoo with black rhinos must have an approved species survival plan in place to breed them.

This is Tamu's first Halloween as the calf was born on December 4, 2023. Rhino calves can gain up to five pounds a day, according to Chad Harmon, the Oregon Zoo's rhino area manager, so little Tamu has gained a lot of weight so far this year, I've managed to get into proper pumpkin-smashing shape. Compared to the small tank's appearance in the video below from February, its horn has grown significantly and its second horn has already begun to enter.

The Oregon Zoo's black rhinos weren't the only residents joining in on the pumpkin-filled fun. The zoo shared another video on its Instagram page showing other animals, including elephants and polar bears, enjoying breaking pumpkins apart.

We hope videos like these help people become more engaged with animals, especially the most endangered animals. “These rhinos are among the most endangered species on the planet,” Kelly Gomez, the Oregon Zoo’s Africa area manager, said earlier this year. “Hopefully their story can help open a new chapter in their conservation efforts.”

Photo credit: Oregon Zoo