Elephant plays the harmonica

A "musically inclined" elephant at a US zoo has taken up playing the harmonica.

Shanthi at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, in Washington DC, plays the instrument with her trunk and appears to love it.

The 36-year-old Asian elephant has a harmonica attached to her stall and plays tunes even when no humans are within view.

Elephant keeper Debbie Flinkman said Shanthi was "musically inclined," playing her own tunes featuring a big crescendo at the end.

"I try really hard to stay out of her line of sight because I don't want her to cue off of me," she said.

"It just really amuses us. And I absolutely love it that it amuses her."

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