By Julie Power
What time is it when four elephants sit on a giant pumpkin? Time to get a new one.
No, it isn't a joke, but on Friday morning, the winning 728 kilo pumpkin from the Royal Sydney Easter Show became breakfast to four elephants at Taronga Park Zoo.
There had been talk about setting the demolition to the music of the Smashing Pumpkins soundtrack, but it didn't happen. Nor did the elephants need any encouragement.
The elephants came close to stampeding towards the Atlantic Giant that had been grown by Dale Oliver, a farmer from near Bangalow in northern NSW. "It didn't last long as a pumpkin," said a Zoo spokesman. After they'd pulled the pumpkin apart and eaten some of it, the elephants had fun with the remains for most of the day.
Smashing good time: Elephants feed on giant pumpkins at Taronga Zoo. Credit: Cameron Spencer
It seemed a fitting end to the 728-kilogram record-breaker that the Herald reporter Leesha McKenny had said had narrowly escaped destruction even before this year's Easter Show began.
Taronga and the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) joined forces to get wildlife involved in recycling the prize-winning pumpkins displayed at this year's Show.
The pumpkins were trucked to the Zoo when the show ended on Wednesday.
Taronga's Asian Elephant herd, including adults Porntip and Pak Boon and calves Pathi Harn and Tukta, were quick to pounce on the record-breaking pumpkin.
A zoo keeper climbs inside a 728kg giant pumpkin delivered to the elephants enclosure at Taronga Zoo.Credit: Cameron Spencer
The adult elephants had eaten pumpkins in Thailand before they came to Australia, but keepers were keen to see what they would make of the giant variety.
"We're always looking for new foods and enrichment items to challenge and stimulate our extraordinary animals. Elephants have many remarkable skills and environmental enrichment is a great way to encourage these skills and arouse their natural curiosity," said Elephant Keeper, Steve Westnedge.
Taronga's elephants get a variety of interesting food items, particularly enjoying fibrous palm logs and tough pineapple plant tops.
"When we saw the giant pumpkin in the news, we thought it was a fun opportunity to bring a taste of the Easter Show to Taronga and offer a nutritious and challenging treat to the Zoo's largest animals," said Steve.
"The Great Backyard Pumpkin Challenge is one of our most popular displays at the Show, and this year grower Dale Oliver produced the largest pumpkin ever seen in Australasia. The Show celebrates the country coming to the city, so it's great to be able to share this record breaking pumpkin from regional NSW with our giant friends here at Sydney's Taronga Zoo," said Michael Collins, Chief Operating Officer at the Easter Show.