Popcorn and Trumpets

Here's a little Zuri report that was passed along from the keepers at Elephant Encounter:

Zuri let out her first trumpet! It was a small but determined little sound. We'd presented Christie with a large pile of popcorn inside the barn and when we opened the doors to bring the elephants in for the night, Zuri charged through the pile, feet kicking popcorn in all directions! Christie followed close behind, used her trunk to scoop the bulk of the pile away from Zuri and began to eat it. Zuri looked up and mom and, "PTHWEEEET!", let out three hearty trumpets in protest. Once we realized that the familiar sound was coming in miniature form not from Christie, but from ZURI, our hearts collectively melted.

As mom ate the majority of the pile, Zuri walked around using the tip of her trunk (with impressive dexterity for her age!) to grasp individual kernels of popcorn and put them in her mouth. She [Zuri] experiments with any of the food she sees mom eating though she'll still nurse a few gallons of milk from mom every day for the next few years. A few moments later, as she walked away from us, we could see the smashed popcorn shoe soles she had given herself as well.

Thanks to Trina at Elephant Encounter for passing along this account of Zuri's popcorn experience.