Abelardo the Dragon was the early equivalent of Big Bird in Plaza Sésamo, the Mexican version of Sesame Street that began in 1972. Abelardo was a tall orange-and-yellow scaled Dragon which had a soft, gentle voice and a very particular way of talking, making pauses after every sentence. His favorite treats were pumpkin seeds or "semillas de calabaza" which in Mexico are a very popular snack, also known as "Pepitas". The reason the dragon character was replaced when the series was re-launched in 1982, remains unexplained