As you may know, the Education department took over the logistics of tours last year. This means that we do the behind-the-scenes arrangements for behind-the-scenes tours! (I blogged about it, so you can read more if you missed it or forgot.)
One of our raccoons paints with a brush, while the other likes to use her hands.
Part of taking over tours means that we now also coordinate animal art purchases made by the public. What? You didn’t know that you could purchase animal art? Well, you can!
You may have heard about how our orangutans are artists who help raise money for wild orangutans through Pongos helping Pongos. You might have seen one of our incredible painting goats on the blog or on YouTube. It’s even possible that you have heard of our artistic elephants and their painting adventures. Believe it or not, these are just a few of the animals at the Houston Zoo who paint on a regular basis!
We have several painting primates; our Saki monkey and siamangs enjoy their chance at the canvas as much as our orangutans do. The Children’s Zoo animals really get into the act, with painting goats, raccoons, and parrots! We even have carnivores who are artists!! Our jaguars, lions, and maned wolves paint with their paws instead of brushes. And of course, two of our elephants make stunning artwork of their own.
Painting is a form of enrichment for our animals. It gives them something different to do, something new to smell, and different textures to feel. For some of our animals, painting is part of their training program; for others, it’s provided as an option during their day. All of our animals are given the choice if they want to participate. If they’re not in the mood, the painting has to wait. On at least one occasion, this has made for an even more interesting painting!
Want to know more about how you can own a piece of animal art? Visit www.houstonzoo.org/animalart. You can get in on the fun as well, choosing up to two colors of paint for your work of art!
