‘Splishy splashes.’ Watch elephant have a ball in storm’s aftermath at California zoo
For most, the California winter storms have confined people to their homes or caused delays for those who have to commute.
But for an elephant, he was finally able to make long-awaited “splishy splashes,” according to a Feb. 7 TikTok posted by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Crew members at the zoo’s Elephant Odyssey exhibit caught Nipho, a 12-year-old African elephant, according to KUSI, turning a “gray, rainy day” into a perfect time to play.
The not so little guy can be seen making waves as he dances in the floodwaters, the TikTok that’s garnered over 297,000 views as of Feb. 8 shows.
The content creature can be heard making the “cutest trumpets ever,” as one Instagram commenter put it, as he grabs water with his trunk and splashes it all over himself, the video shows.
Elephants can spend up to 16 hours per day eating, taking in as much as 330 pounds of food, according to the zoo’s website. So, when Nipho isn’t stomping in puddles, it’s safe to say he’s munching on vegetation like leaves, shrubs and grass.
African elephants get their name from their ears being shaped like the continent of Africa and can live to be 38 to 47 years old, the zoo’s website said. Female African elephants can weigh up to 8,000 pounds, and males can grow to weigh 15,000 pounds.
San Diego saw heavy days of rain ranging from an inch to 7 inches throughout areas in the county, KNSD reported.
Although not seen in the video, Nipho lives with his half-brother Sundzu in a “bachelor herd,” the zoo said on Instagram.
Other elephants at the zoo took part in the rainy weather by dousing themselves in mud.
Although it is unclear if Nipho is in the TikTok that has over 184,000 views as of Feb. 8, it seems this group took the messier route.
TikTok users and Instagram commenters were quick to share their thoughts on Nipho’s way of handling the storm.
“Cutest self-care routine ever,” one Instagram user said.
“Makes my heart happy,” a TikTok user said.
“The happy trumpeting!!” another user on TikTok said.
The zoo urges those affected by the rain to “take a page out of Nipho’s book” by packing “away the umbrellas” and going to play in the rain.
This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 12:45 PM with the headline "‘Splishy splashes.’ Watch elephant have a ball in storm’s aftermath at California zoo."