Snap! Crunch! Pop!
The powerful jaws of Hugo the Asian elephant crushed an orange pumpkin a zookeeper rolled his way. The thick gourd cracked in mere seconds, and Hugo picked through the pieces to snack on — or rather, play with — before another was sent his way.
Despite the drizzle of rain, Hugo continued happily rumbling as he played it up for the crowd during a pumpkin enrichment activity provided by Graddy Real Estate Team Wednesday at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield.
Tropical Asia Zookeeper Brock Andrus said this is normal playful behavior for the still-growing 10-year-old pachyderm.