Highly endangered Asian elephants at a US zoo relished the chance to crush giant pumpkins at an annual Squishing of the Squash ceremony.
The tradition at Oregon zoo dates back to 1999. It precedes the zoo’s Halloween celebrations, where children are invited to come in costume and learn about the animals.
The zoo is unable to hold a public event this year due to the pandemic, but this didn’t stop the elephants from demolishing 600-pound pumpkins provided by the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers Club.
“Everything looks a little different for us this year, but the elephants didn’t seem to mind,” senior keeper Dimas Dominguez said.
“They got one 650-pound pumpkin and a couple more pretty big ones to play with. First they destroy them, then they enjoy them.”
The event was introduced when Hoffman’s Dairy Garden of Canby gave the zoo an 828-pound pumpkin for the pachyderms to pulverize.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here