Watch CBS News

Animals at Brookfield Zoo celebrate National Watermelon Day

CBS News Live
CBS News Chicago Live

BROOKFIELD, Ill. (CBS) — In case you didn't check your calendar, it's National Watermelon Day. 

To celebrate, several animals at Brookfield Zoo were able to get a taste of the summer fruit – each receiving their own watermelon. 

The zoo said care staff sliced and cubed the watermelons for the western lowland gorillas, Galapagos tortoises, and Banana, a 3-year-old pygmy hippo, who also got a special slice shaped like the letter 'B."

dsc-4919.jpg
Brookfield Zoo
dsc-5571.jpg
Brookfield Zoo
dsc-5838.jpg
Brookfield Zoo
dsc-5882.jpg
Brookfield Zoo

Layla, a 12-year-old black rhinoceros, Axhi, a 28½-year-old brown bear, and the Zoo's two sloth bears- Kartik and Hani - received whole watermelons.  

dsc-6243.jpg
Brookfield Zoo
dsc-6460.jpg
Brookfield Zoo
dsc-5796.jpg
Brookfield Zoo

It's just one of the items most animals receive during the summer, but it also is enrichment for others, the zoo said. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.