Animals eat food rainbows, popsicles for Pride at Toronto Zoo

Kangaroos, polar bears and orangutans celebrated the Pride parade at the Toronto Zoo this weekend.

Red grapes, carrots, romaine lettuce and blueberries were set up in an arc to make a rainbow for a grizzly bear at the zoo.

A polar bear celebrates pride (Toronto Zoo). For a polar bear, colourful frozen treats were lined up like a decadent buffet on a block of ice.

“Our animals received special Pride-themed enrichment to celebrate the month,” Amy Naylor, the zoo’s media relations coordinator, said on Sunday.

Through enrichment, staff at the zoo aim to enhance animals’ environments by providing them with opportunities to follow their natural instincts.

Naylor said the nutrition team was tasked with creating themed treats that fit the animals' diets and also celebrated the annual occasion.

A grizzly bear eats Pride snacks (Toronto Zoo). Beyond culinary choices, a penguin sported a rainbow beaded bracelet secured on its flipper while a lion played with a box plastered with a Pride flag.

“It brought a smile to my face!” Marianna Nascimento told CTV News Toronto.

“As a queer person it’s always so nice to see such public displays of support during Pride!”

A penguin wears a rainbow bracelet for Pride (Toronto Zoo). Meanwhile, in downtown Toronto, massive crowds gathered for Canada's largest Pride parade on Sunday.

Prominent politicians, including federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and a handful of candidates running to be the city's mayor were in attendance.