Cincinnati Zoo keepers didn't have any trouble coaxing the hippos to chomp down on pumpkins as part of a preview for "HallZOOween." Fiona and her parents quickly swam over and opened their giant mouths.
Not surprisingly, the pumpkins fit but some seeds and rind spilled out into the exhibit.
The crowd oohed and aahed with smart phones in hand and squeezed in to get the perfect picture of the popular Hippopotamus amphibius family.
Fiona continues to get thousands of views on The Fiona Show.
The elephants were the first to try out the pumpkin fun. Schottzie, Mai-Thai and Jati rushed over and tore down a giant trick-or-treat bag and began stomping and eating pumpkins.
A group of Highlands Middle School 8th graders studying journalism watched the animals. "I thought it was cool that they knew what to do. They knew that the pumpkins were able to get crushed. They knew that they could tear the big sign down," said Olivia Hoffman.
Student Madeline Adams was equally excited saying, "I think it was pretty cool to smash the pumpkins into the ground and play with the stuff over there."
While the elephants are excited now, will they continue to show the same enthusiasm throughout the month of October? Pumpkin smashes are every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Senior Keeper Val Nastold says he may have to sweeten the pot.
"So, if you don't juice it up a little they'll smash it and they'll step aside and think, 'Oh, excuse me Val. I'm done with this. You may pick this up now.'"
Nastold says it's the same as humans and pumpkins. We want the sugar and pumpkin pie.
