Elephant vs. pumpkin: Squishin' accomplished!

It was elephant vs. pumpkin in an epic showdown during the Oregon Zoo's 28th annual Squishing of the Squash.

"This year, we decided to give Samudra the spotlight," said Steve Lefave, who oversees the zoo's Asian elephant area. "It was one big elephant vs. one big pumpkin. No fuss, but definitely some muss."

Lefave said the 500-pound pumpkin - stuffed with lettuce, apples and sweet potatoes - was perfect squishing size for the 18-year-old elephant, who outweighed it by nearly 10,000 pounds.

After the main event, care staff presented Samudra's little sister, 20-month-old Tula-Tu, with a smaller pumpkin to play with.

The zoo's Squishing of the Squash tradition dates back to 1999, when Hoffman's Dairy Garden of Canby dropped off a prize-winning 828-pound pumpkin for the elephant family. Farmers often offered their overstock pumpkins for use in the zoo's groundbreaking animal enrichment efforts - enhancing animals' well-being with stimulating and challenging environments, objects and activities.

This year's pumpkin was provided by Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers Clubmember Larry Nelson and his daughter, Amanda Gilmour.

The large-scale pumpkin playtime return next weekend as the zoo's annual Howloween celebration continues. Kids can show off their costumes, fill their treat bags and learn about wildlife in a fun and safe setting. To purchase tickets and see more information, visit oregonzoo.org/howloween.

The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its elephant care program, which has spanned more than 60 years. It has established a $1 million endowment fund supporting Asian elephants, including AZA's SAFE program to advance conservation across all 13 of the species' range countries.

Beyond direct elephant care, the zoo collaborates with local partners in Borneoto create lasting conservation solutions, from replanting forests and establishing protected corridors to fostering peaceful coexistence between elephants and communities.