Original paintings from a Czech elephant are selling for up to £1,000 - and are expected to go up in value.
Shanti, a female Asian elephant at Prague Zoo, seems to have lost interest in art so may not add to her 12 completed paintings.
They are being auctioned off and have so far raised about £4,000 which will go to buy veterinary equiment for an elephant zoo in Sri Lanka.
Shanti was introduced to painting by her keeper Veronika Struplova who taught her how to hold the paintbrush in her trunk.
"It took about a fortnight before she mastered it," said Prague Zoo spokesperson, Tereza Paleckova.
Then Shanti started to put the paintbrush on canvas. After two or three months she no longer needed her keeper's help.
Ms Paleckova said: "Painting is part of enrichment programmes that keep our animals happy and healthy.
"Shanti's great motivation is of course food - she is very fond of sweets made from apples, bananas or strawberries."
However, Shanti has not picked up a paintbrush since a move to a new enclosure at the zoo.
If she does not produce any more paintings, her prints have the potential of becoming limited release and could go up in value.
Marek Slidberski, curator at Prague's Marthi Gallery where the paintings are on display, said: "We just have to wait for her next wave of creativity."
Leave a comment