The 23rd annual Squishing of the Squash festival took place this past week, celebrating the onset of autumn at the Oregon Zoo.
The elephants were treated to giant pumpkins during the event, creating a delightful spectacle as they smashed and enjoyed their tasty treats.
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The elephants had a great time stomping and breaking apart the pumpkins to access the soft, delicious flesh.
By the end of the festival, some of the elephants had trunks tinged with orange from the pumpkin.
1,200 pounds of pumpkins were provided for the elephants to crush and eat. This activity was a fun time for the herd and a way to stimulate them mentally.
The Oregon Zoo has a tradition of marking Halloween by giving its elephants pumpkins to play with and eat. This celebration has become a much-anticipated event for the animals and the zoo visitors.
Other animals at the zoo also got to enjoy the festivities. Ring-tailed lemurs, river otters, and porcupines were given smaller pumpkins to snack on.
The playful destruction by the elephants, as they smashed the large pumpkins, was a highlight of the event, providing a fun and harmless activity for the animals and an entertaining show for animal lovers. The Squishing of the Squash festival remains a favorite for the zoo’s residents and visitors.
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