There are few sounds more satisfying than a hippo crunching through a giant pumpkin and right now families visiting Werribee Open Range Zoo are getting a front row seat to the action.
With pumpkin season in full swing, the zoo’s Savannah team have grown oversized pumpkins especially for resident hippos Primrose and her daughters Tulip and Lotus. What follows is less a polite snack and more an all-out pumpkin demolition.
“We call out Primrose and her daughters Tulip and Lotus, and they come waddling over and absolutely demolish the pumpkins in just a few bites,” Keeper Dominic said. “It’s one of their favourite treats, and a brilliant form of enrichment for them.”
Watching the trio tackle the pumpkins is part comedy show, part wildlife lesson. Hippos can open their jaws to around 150 degrees, with massive canine teeth reaching up to 50 centimetres long, making short work of even the biggest pumpkins.
Not far away, the zoo’s nine Asian elephants were throwing their own pumpkin party. Three-year-old siblings Aiyara, Roi-Yim and Kati skipped the careful chewing approach altogether, stomping pumpkins flat before scooping up the pieces with their trunks.
“With nine elephants at Werribee and more calves on the way, a few extra seasonal snacks for the pregnant girls definitely don’t go astray,” Keeper Dominic said.
After the smashing and snacking came the best part for younger visitors, with the playful elephants charging straight for the pool for an afternoon swim and splash around.
Even during Melbourne’s cooler months, the zoo’s hippos and elephants remain active in the water, giving families plenty of chances to spot playful behaviour year-round.
