'Musically inclined' elephant jams soulfully on harmonica

The newest musical star in Washington, D.C., already has the thick skin to withstand unkind reviews from her critics, though she plays so joyously it's hard to imagine she'll have many. Noticing that 36-year-old Asian elephant Shanthi was "musically inclined," keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo outfitted her stall with a harmonica (along with horns and other musical instruments) that she could play around with just for fun. Shanthi has apparently taken to the instrument with pleasure, composing songs that often cap off with an impressive crescendo. Zookeeper Debbie Flinkman emphasizes that Shanthi plays only of her own volition -- and when she does, not surprisingly, that pachyderm can blow.