The good news is that pumpkins – provided they aren’t painted or coated – are safe, nutritious and delicious for wildlife. And wild animals love pumpkins. Here I’ll take a look at ways animals enjoy pumpkins, from squirrels eating them to sand cats hiding in them, from your backyard to the zoo.

Are pumpkins good for wildlife?

Feed the wildlife If you leave broken up chunks of pumpkin in your garden then you could help to feed any local wildlife, as the vegetable makes the perfect snack for small animals such as squirrels and rabbits, and you can also give the pumpkin seeds to birds.

Is it OK to throw pumpkins in the woods?

Please don’t just throw it in the woods. According to many wildlife experts if you plan to donate your old pumpkin to Hudson Valley wildlife, make sure that you smash the pumpkin open before you throw it into the woods for animals to eat.