PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It was a “gourd-geous” day to visit the Oregon Zoo where resident elephants took part in a classic fall tradition on Thursday morning.
The 25th annual “Squishing of the Squash” event provided the zoo’s Asian elephant family with some tasty pumpkin treats.
Check out more in the gallery below:
A pumpkin gets squished at the annual ‘Squish the Squash’ event at the Oregon Zoo on October 19, 2023. (KOIN) 
The largest pumpkin at the ‘Squish the Squash’ event weighed in at over 700 pounds. (KOIN) 
A sizable crowd at the 25th annual ‘Squish the Squash’ event on October 19, 2023. (KOIN) 
Amanda Gilmour and her father Larry Nelson donated the pumpkins for this year’s ‘Squish the Squash’ event on October 19, 2023. (KOIN) 
The Oregon Zoo Asian elephants dig in at the ‘Squish the Squash’ event October 19, 2023. (KOIN)
The tradition began in 1999 when the Hoffman Dairy Garden in Canby donated an 828-pound pumpkin to the zoo.
This year’s pumpkins were donated by Larry Nelson and his daughter Amanda Gilmour.
