Tallinn Zoo invites public to donate pumpkins to feed animals this fall
Tallinn Zoo is once again inviting people to donate pumpkins as well as other fruit and vegetables to help feed the animals this fall.
Almost all the zoo's inhabitants eat pumpkins, but it is the elephants who love them the most. One elephant can eat up to 1,000 kilograms of pumpkins a year.
"Last year, we collected 16 tonnes of pumpkins, which was enough to feed the animals until spring. The zoo team is grateful that there are so many responsive donors who contribute," said Kaupo Heinma, director of Tallinn Zoo.
The pumpkins harvested in the fall last until spring. Other garden produce such as beets, potatoes, and cabbage are also welcome.
Postal service provider Omniva will be collecting donations from kindergartens, school, and other community organizations and delivering them to the zoo free of charge. Transportation will take place from September 22 to October 24, 2025.
Those who wish to help out are advised that only garden produce that is suitable for human consumption should be donated to the zoo. Spoiled fruit should not be donated. Pumpkins must be grown in areas that are inaccessible to wild animals in order to prevent the potential spread of disease.
The zoo also requests that people do not draw or write on the donated pumpkins. Drawings, photographs or poems on the theme of animals and pumpkins will be accepted separately by the zoo – either on paper or in digital form.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Elizaveta Kalugina
