嘎嘣脆！当澳洲动物园的河马与大象邂逅巨型南瓜

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动物

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高中三年级

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澳洲动物园用巨型南瓜款待河马和大象，一口嘎嘣脆，一脚碎满地，场面既震撼又有趣。

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At Werribee Open Range Zoo in Australia, autumn means giant pumpkins — not for pies, but for the zoo’s hungriest residents. This year, the team grew several oversized pumpkins especially for three female hippos: Primrose, Tulip and Lotus. Watching them crush the huge fruits with their powerful jaws is an unforgettable sight.

“There’s nothing like the crunch of a hippo biting into a giant pumpkin,” says Dominic Moss, a manager at the zoo. Hippos have the largest mouths of any land animal. Their jaws can open to 150 degrees, and their canine teeth (犬齿) can reach 50 centimetres. These sharp teeth easily slice through the thick pumpkin skin. With such powerful equipment, a pumpkin is no challenge. Mr Moss calls the hippos by name, and they waddle over eagerly. In just a few bites, the whole pumpkin disappears, leaving only scattered pieces on the ground. “It’s one of their favourite treats and provides fantastic enrichment — activities that encourage natural behaviour,” he adds. “Visitors are always amazed by the sight.”

The zoo’s nine Asian elephants also enjoy the autumn pumpkins, but in a different way. Instead of biting, they stomp them beneath their feet like grapes, with a loud crack that echoes across the area. Then they use their flexible trunks to skillfully scoop up the smashed pieces. Among the group are three playful three-year-old calves: Aiyara, Roi-Yim and Kati. After their pumpkin snack, the young elephants rush straight to the pool, where they push each other underwater, swim beneath the surface, and play joyfully. “The little ones seem to have endless energy after a treat,” says Mr Moss.

An adult Asian elephant can eat over 100 kilograms of food a day. Their trunks, made up of more than 40,000 muscles, are perfectly designed for smelling, grabbing, and feeding. With such a huge appetite and a powerful tool for eating, the giant pumpkins provide a welcome nutritional boost — especially for the zoo’s three pregnant elephants, who are expecting calves soon.

The annual pumpkin feast is a delicious highlight of the zoo’s enrichment programme, keeping the animals active, engaged, and healthy. It truly marks the arrival of autumn in a memorable way.

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