Animal Art

Holiday Ornament

It’s time to deck the halls with our one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments, sure to please even the hardest to buy for family member. Each ceramic ornament is painted by one of our talented animal artists and comes with a printed photo. It’s sure to be a keepsake for years to come. 

Asian Elephants

Our Asian elephant herd loves to paint, and they each have their own unique style. To make their signature elephant kisses, our elephants (with the help of their keepers) gently press their noses to the canvas leaving the special heart shaped print behind. Everyone gets in on the fun- even our patriarch Thailand. Painting is a great way that our animal care team creates meaningful relationships with each of our elephants and we love to see what creations they come up with.

Sea Lions

Using their noses, our California sea lions gently press their faces into a canvas. This activity provides one-on-one interaction time with their animal care team and strengthens the relationship between the sea lions and zookeepers. Plus, it results in a totally adorable painting for you!

Looking for a custom painting option? Enjoy our sea lion painting experience where you can watch our sea lion artists and their keepers create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece for you. A perfect gift for art lovers!

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Western Lowland Gorillas

The keepers at the Houston Zoo work to enrich the lives of the animals in their care every day by adding interesting and complex activities to their daily routines. Enrichment activities are fun for both animals and keepers, and painting is an engaging activity that our Gorillas enjoy. Mike is known for leaving his signature circular wisps on the canvas, while Chaka sweeps his paintbrush from side to side filling up the space with his bold strokes. Henry, TJ and Leom, our newest additions, are adding their own flair to their art pieces as well. Each painting is unique, just like our Gorilla family. 

Chimpanzees

Our chimpanzee family enjoys painting and each work of art represents the temperament of the artists. Charlie is the oldest of the group, and a talented artist. Kenya may be tiny, but she has strong opinions. Scooter loves to play with the other chimpanzees in the group, while Maizey loves trainings with her keepers and trying new foods. Whether using gentle brush strokes, bold finger marks or occasionally various mixed mediums – their artwork is guaranteed to be one of a kind. 

Red Pandas

Také has lived at the Houston Zoo since 2015. His art work is created by skillfully walking across a canvas. Thick fur covers the red panda’s entire bodies, even the soles of their feet, which means you’ll see imprints of all that fur in his paw print masterpieces. His favorite activity, besides interacting with the Zoo Keepers, is sleeping. Red pandas can sleep 16-18 hours a day! They need to rest from being so cute. 

Malayan Tiger

Berani, our Malayan Tiger, joined the Houston Zoo family in 2016. A favorite of guests, he can often be seen snoozing under the bamboo or taking a dip in his pool. Evidence of Berani’s powerful paws are seen in every piece of art he creates. By walking through the paint, he leaves a trail of beautiful paw prints, and the occasional tail swipe. 

Orangutans

Our orangutan family enjoys painting and each work of art represents the temperament of the artists. Rudi loves to paint and often stops for “inspiration breaks” to enjoy his favorite treats. Kelly is observant and has incredible patience. Cheyenne is smart, strong-willed and though she is the oldest orangutan at the Houston Zoo, she is the youngest at heart. Whether using gentle brush strokes, bold finger marks or occasionally various mixed mediums – their artwork is guaranteed to be one of a kind. 

Clouded Leopards

Tarak and Suksn came to the Houston Zoo in 2012 and as natural climbers can often be found high up in their exhibit. They are pros at painting with their paws to make unique shapes and patterns. Their delicate paw prints can be seen in every piece of art they create.  

Cheetahs

It’s not unusual to see Dash & Dinari enjoying early morning walks with their animal care team before the Zoo opens to the public. One-on-one interactions like these walks, along with opportunities to create one of a kind art pieces, strengthens the relationship between Dash & Dinari and their Zoo keepers. Beginning with a blank canvas, the brothers walk through the non-toxic paint and create dynamic paintings with their large paws (and the occasional tail swipe). 

Rainbo- Eclectus Parrot

Born here at the Houston Zoo in 1991, Rainbo is a wonderful ambassador to his species and is often seen during special events at the Zoo. He uses a paintbrush, held in his beak, and moves his head to create streaks of paint on the canvas. He is very deliberate about where he places the paint on the canvas and often leans away eyeing it critically before adding more paint to his masterpieces. 

Denver- Blue and Gold Macaw

Denver is one of the most active Ambassador Animals and enjoys getting personal attention from his trainers. This colorful painter has a personality as bright as his feathers and can often be heard calling to his keepers throughout the day. Some of Denver’s favorite snacks include almonds and sunflower seeds but if you offer him an orange snack, like a sweet potato piece, he will likely refuse!