Oakland Zoo auctions art made by elephants, lemurs and other animals

Mary Bowerman | USA TODAY Network

The paint-splattered canvases may look like a preschooler's handiwork. But look closely, and hyena paws or the stroke from an elephant start to emerge.

Thirty-two paintings produced by snakes, sun bears, lemurs, even a bat, are up for auction at the Oakland Zoo in California. Bids start around $200 dollars. As of Friday, several of the animals, including Donna, the African Elephant, have a handful or more bids on eBay.

While a paintbrush might be the most common instrument to create art, it's not the tool of choice for every animal, according to Margaret Rousser, a zoological manager at the Oakland Zoo.

"Some use paintbrushes and some like to fingerpaint," Rousser told USA TODAY Network. "We hold up the canvas and let them choose their colors and paint."

In July and August, zookeepers assisted the animals during painting sessions. Rousser said the animals were not forced to paint, but treats were used as positive reinforcement for putting paint on the canvas.

"A lot of the animals are very smart and love to learn new things," Rousser said.

Animal Art: Elephants, giraffes and lemurs create masterpieces

The zoo started the auction last year with 12 paintings by nine different species and raised $10,000, according to Rousser.

The funds raised from the auction benefit the zoo's conservation partners, such as the Budongo Snare Removal Project, which works to remove traps from a Ugandan forest reserve.

The animal auction runs through Sept. 20. For those who feel like getting in touch with their wild side, a list of the animal artists and their work can be found here.

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