First it was the elephants, now it seems that other animals have been bitten by the painting bug - And judging from the hundreds of dollars their masterpieces fetched at a recent auction, they are getting mighty good at it.

The art by the animals was sold last Tuesday, in an online auction conducted by Auctionnetwork.com, to raise money for Zoo Conservation efforts. Sponsored by the Association of American Zoo's and Aquariums, the event was a collaborative effort by all the Zoos and featured works by Cha Cha, the lion, which sold for $550 USD, while a paw painting by Pintom, the pig, fetched $250 USD. Other featured artists included Sushi, a sea lion from New Orleans, and Ricky, a rockhopper penguin from South Carolina.

Zoo Keepers who often use painting as a way to keep the animals mentally stimulated, say it is not difficult to motivate them.

In the case of Ricky, the Penguin, his keeper simply places some paints on the floor, and throws a fish at the other end of the canvas, and voila! - Ten minutes later Ricky has a yummy treat, while the zookeeper is the proud owner of a modern masterpiece.

Source: SFGate.com, Wtop.com