Durham science museum plans watermelon feast for lemurs, pigs, bears (oh, my!) Friday

The museum's bears, lemurs and farmyard animals all will get to cool off with the fruit. Bears will swim with it. Pigs will chow down on it. And, I'm told, lemurs will eat it frozen on a stick. Watermelons will be offered whole, sliced, quartered, fresh, frozen, buried, floating and in other forms.

“Watermelons are a great summer treat. Their high water content helps keep the animals hydrated during hot weather and they are great for animal enrichment,” said Sherry Samuels, animal department director.

In other words, they're going to chow down and it's going to get messy.

The museum's Sprout Cafe also will have some watermelon for the museum's human visitors too - including a watermelon salad and a special watermelon Popsicle made by Locopops.

You could have a chance for a special behind-the-scenes bear feeding by bringing a watermelon to the museum on Friday too.

Here's the feeding schedule:

It's all free with admission, which is $14 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12.