Image description: Picasso or Panda? Giant panda Tian Tian get his paws dirty with non-toxic water-based paint at the National Zoo. Painting is one among many activities that fall under Animal Enrichment—a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents.
Art produced by many of the Zoo’s mammal and bird residents will be available for purchase at the National Capital chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Art Show, which will take place spring 2012.
Photo by Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Some people will look at this photo and think, “cute! Hooray painting pandas!”
Other people will consider how sad it is that we make these pandas paint, and then sell their art for a profit. If we’re going to make these pandas do human things, we should let the pandas paint, sell their art and then put their art money in a panda Roth IRA, which they will eventually borrow on to take out a mortgage, pay a 10 percent penalty, and then watch as the housing market collapses and they lose everything. PANDAS!
