At the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat in northern Ontario, Henry, a 544kg polar bear, was faced with something even bigger than himself: a 635kg pumpkin. Initially perplexed and even a little defensive, Henry soon succumbed to curiosity, discovering that the strange orange mountain was, in fact, a sweet and irresistible meal.
The giant vegetable was donated by chance by Aidie Creek Gardens, after a sanctuary employee spotted it on a truck on the highway. A quick exchange of phone calls and the pumpkin, destined for compost, became a perfect surprise to celebrate Polar Bear Week, the international event dedicated to the protection of these extraordinary animals.
A fun pastime
At first, Henry wasn’t sure what to think: an object almost as big as he was towering in his enclosure, and you can never be too careful. But once it realized it posed no danger, the bear began biting, splitting and gnawing on the giant pumpkin with enthusiasm worthy of a comedy film. The images, shared on social media by the sanctuary, show him sinking his teeth into the orange pulp and then falling asleep next to the remains of his “feast”.
According to director Amy Baxendell-Young, pumpkin parties are a beloved seasonal tradition for downtown bears. Pumpkins, in fact, are a fun food pastime that does not affect their weight: for animals used to feeding on seal fat, pumpkin is just “an empty dessert”, harmless and easily digestible.
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The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is the only nonprofit sanctuary in the world dedicated to polar bears that can no longer live in the wild. It currently hosts two specimens, Henry and Ganuk, and is committed to raising public awareness of the risks linked to climate change, which delays the formation of ice and reduces hunting opportunities for plantigrades. So, while Henry enjoys his well-deserved “Halloween dinner”, his gesture becomes a small, ironic reminder: even the most ferocious predator can appreciate the simplicity of a giant pumpkin.
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