Jumbo-size effort to save frogs

JOHN SELKIRK/Dominion Post

EASEL DUTY: Keeper Joel Milicich holds the canvas while Kashin chooses her favourite colours and shows her technique.

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With a flick of their brushes, Auckland Zoo's Asian elephants, Kashin and Burma, are set to paint a brighter future for some of New Zealand's tiniest and most vulnerable creatures - four species of endangered native frogs.

Having perfected their skills over the past seven years, the pair will work together on October 17 to produce a piece of artwork for auction.

The money raised will go toward the conservation of four native frog species; Hochstetter's, Hamilton's, Maud Island and the most evolutionary distinct and critically endangered in the world, Archey's.

The "From Tooth to Claw" event is open to the public and includes a "thought-provoking" lecture by Auckland Art Gallery expert Mary Kisler on animals in art.

In an exclusive preview for The Dominion Post yesterday, Kashin and Burma demonstrated their very different styles of painting.

Having first tested her palette with the tip of her trunk, Burma swept the paintbrush out of keeper Andrew Coers' hand and flicked a splash of white on blue paper, adding a dash of red and a lick of yellow with vertical swipes of the brush.

Kashin took a more controlled approach, holding the brush in a manner similar to that of a left-handed person when writing, and making firm, deliberate strokes.

When her distracted keeper failed to hand her the next brush on cue, Kashin gave him a gentle nudge with her trunk and immediately returned to her task.

Mr Coers said that though the elephants were trained to paint, the physical act of wielding the brushes came naturally.

The pair have produced more than 100 pieces of artwork for auction, with most going for $500. One sold for more than $2000.

"From Tooth to Claw" runs from 5.30pm till 7.30pm and entry is by ticket only.

- © Fairfax NZ News