Michelangelo, da Vinci, and...a Cougar?

Keepers Stephanie, Ashley, and Yours Truly painting
with red panda Xiao-Li. (All photos courtesy of the
Binghamton Zoo)

Zippy the Cougar

A list of famous artists in Binghamton would have to include many animals at the Binghamton Zoo. Keepers use non-toxic paints and canvases to make footprint paintings on a regular basis with many of the animals in the zoo's collection. Some of the animals are given the paint and canvas and run through them on their own, while other animals' get their feet painted by a keeper and are stamped on the canvas. Painting is enrichment: it is different from the animal's basic routine and it presents the animal with different scents, colors, and textures. These paintings are sold to benefit the zoo and proceeds go directly to caring for the animals who made the paintings. And the animals really seem to like it!

Pepe the skunk

Fennec Fox