“A smashing success”: Watch Oregon Zoo animals celebrate National Watermelon Day

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Animals at the Oregon Zoo received fresh watermelons today to observe National Watermelon Day.

The fruit is provided as part of environmental enrichment efforts. These activities are designed to create stimulating and challenging environments that promote the well-being of the animals through the use of seasonal food items and objects.

A variety of residents participated in the activity, including the zoo's elephants and orangutans. The eastern black rhinoceros family is noted for its specific methods of consuming the fruit. A video of a rhino named King eating a watermelon is the most-viewed post on the zoo's TikTok account.

Chad Harmon oversees the Africa area at the Oregon. Zoo and monitors the different animal behaviors during these activities. He observed that King and another rhinoceros, Jozi, utilize distinct styles when presented with the melons.

“I love that King is a smoosher and Jozi is an impaler,” Harmon said. “Two totally different techniques that work.”

The Oregon Zoo is a part of Metro and operates species recovery and conservation programs. Funding for animal well-being, species recovery and conservation education is supported by the Oregon Zoo Foundation. over the past 30 years, the facility has worked to advance conservation science and protect wildlife in the Northwest.