Elephant paints self-portrait

[TRM_SHRiMP]

This is just amazing.
Very beautiful and talented creature.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE[/YOUTUBE]

[ANC]

Did I really just watch that? Amazing. Beyond amazing.

[Dixie Normos]

amazing video, thanks for posting it!

[MissDecember]

That is pretty remarkable. The big fucker paints better than I do! Hehe.

[McJag]

What a joy to watch. I wonder if we will ever understand the full scope of talents some animals really have.

[HWBL]

Holy Crap!!!

You know that is so amazing that it moved me to tears?
This beautiful creature is so sure of its actions. Weird to
say that an elephant has an artist's eye!
Thanks so much for sharing this clip. I will forward it to
my friends.

[Honey]

Beautiful

[angelais]

It's totally amazing, but gee I bet whoever has control of this elephant is already seeing $$. I bet he still would rather be out in the wild, in a field, with other elephants. Just my 2 cents.

[DitaPage*]

Awesome. WOW! I laughed too because it looks so funny to see an elephant holding a paintbrush. And I can imagine the other elephants around saying 'Oh here he goes again, show off'.

[dangerous]

I'm not sure what all goes into teaching these animals to do things like this
but I just hope he wasn't whipped and tortured until able to draw a picture
like that. I think the film was really beautiful, almost made me cry, but it
makes me wonder..

[HWBL]

I'm not sure what all goes into teaching these animals to do things like this
but I just hope he wasn't whipped and tortured until able to draw a picture
like that. I think the film was really beautiful, almost made me cry, but it
makes me wonder..

Yeah, in hindsight my feelings have changed, slightly.
I'm still moved by the animal's good mood, which is clear
from his body language, and by its artistry: the way it
holds the brush etc.
But I did search on YouTube for more clips of painting
elephants and in the comments I read several times
that the caretakers of the elepants more or less steer
the animal's movements by pressing on their jaw or
something...... Now, it doesn't hurt, because if you
hurt an elephant you'll know it soon enough. But it
does take the charm away a bit.... There are tons
of elephants lined up for the tourists to make
paintings. The elephants' care is paid for with
the proceeds of the paintings that are sold.

[DitaPage*]

^The elephants paint pictures of the tourists!??

[KrisNine]

The elephants and the orangutans at the San Diego Zoo paint. They sell the paintings to raise funds for the zoo.

[abbyroadme]

Wow....just wow!

[HWBL]

^The elephants paint pictures of the tourists!??

Not of, FOR the tourists. That's how they earn their keep.