As part of an industry-academia partnership with Kinki University (Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture), Adventure World has been using thinned “Kinki University ICT Melons”—grown using the “Nara Kinki University Farming Method”—as food for the animals; this initiative is now in its fifth year. This year, the park received thinned melons grown using compost made from the park’s animal manure.

Today (July 11), students from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kinki University (Nara City, Nara Prefecture) presented the culled melons to African elephants and observed how agricultural byproducts are utilized in the animals’ diets.

In addition, exclusively on this day, a feeding experience for African elephants using surplus melons was held for visitors to the park. During a lecture given by students, the role of “thinning”—an essential part of melon cultivation—was explained, along with how surplus melons are put to use as food for the animals. This provided a fun opportunity to learn about the food cycle and the environment.

In addition, at the employee cafeteria “KOKORO,” two of the four thinned-fruit melon recipes created by the students—“Mapo Thinned-Fruit Melon” and “Thinned-Fruit Melon and Summer Vegetable Pasta”—were served, making for a lunch that satisfied both the stomach and the heart.

At Adventure World, guided by our park theme—“Contemplating life and continually asking questions. A place to discover the beauty of life”—we are implementing circular initiatives that promote the effective use of food resources and environmental sustainability.
Moving forward, we will continue to collaborate with universities and the local community to support the lives of our animals while fostering a learning environment for the young people who will shape the future.

[What Are Thinned Melons?]
These are agricultural byproducts—melons thinned out to produce melons with higher sugar content—that are fed to fruit-loving animals, allowing us to make effective use of food resources without waste. Last year, we used approximately 850 kg of thinned melons as animal feed over a period of about two months.