The majestic elephant herd at the Portland, Oregon Zoo had a fantastic time participating in the annual “Squishing of the Squash” event to celebrate the beginning of Autumn. Their caregivers gave them incredibly large pumpkins, which they smashed with their sturdy legs, reducing the fruit into pulps.
One of the most beloved Fall traditions of the Oregon Zoo, this year’s viewing was not made public due to necessary physical distancing requirements. However, the resident elephants still enjoyed their feast, not bothered by anything else but the enormous pumpkins.
The sight of the elephant herd squashing the sweet pumpkins was extraordinary. The onlookers and caregivers could hear the crunches and see the cracks as the elephants stomped, smashed the fruit, and enjoyed the pulp at their leisure.
During the early days, local farmers would donate pumpkins to the zoo to support their efforts to improve the animals’ well-being. These stimulating activities helped the animals adjust to the challenging environment.
One of the elephants in the herd got so close to the pumpkin that the trunk turned orange. These incredible mammals showed immense strength as they quickly squashed these enormous pumpkins.
Watch the videos below:
