Karishma Paints to Save Elephants

Fourteen-year-old Karishma is an Asian elephant. She lives at Whipsnade Zoo near London and today she is showcasing her artistic talents.

Karishma's artwork is for Elephant Appreciation Weekend and around a dozen of her creations will be up for auction this Saturday and Sunday. The money will go towards the protection of Asian elephants, which are in danger of going extinct.

[Elizabeth Callaghan, Elephant Keeper at Whipsnade Zoo]:
"She did it last year, we had a very successful two days last year and so we thought we'd do it again. And one of her paintings actually went for just shy of 200 pounds, so very exciting."

Karishma's trunk contains around 100-thousand different muscles. The finger-like feature at the end of her trunk enables her to pick up a small brush.

Her caretaker says she loves the challenge of painting.

[Elizabeth Callaghan, Elephant Keeper at Whipsnade Zoo]:
"It's a type of enrichment, they love to learn. Elephants are so super smart so for them it's something new and exciting to do."

Although Karishma loves the challenge of painting, she doesn't get to practice very much. Her talent is only showcased on Elephant Appreciation Weekend to help raise money for Asian elephants.

[Elizabeth Callaghan, Elephant Keeper at Whipsnade Zoo]:
"Both African and Asian elephants need help, but Asian elephants in particular. There's only about 30,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, so for us it is just super important everybody knows that Asian elephants, and African elephants, but elephants in general really need everybody's help and everybody's awareness and that is what the weekend is about, celebrating elephants."

She also posed in typical elephant style with a couple of brightly-painted wooden elephants.

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