Nandi, the Reid Park Zoo’s baby elephant, is in the spotlight, yet again — this time as the subject of a Diana Madaras painting.
Madaras loves all animals, especially elephants.
“Elephants are one of my favorites. They’re just magical,” Madaras said. “And little Nandi. You just can’t help but fall in love with that elephant...She’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen.”
Fans of Nandi and Madaras will have the chance to bid on the painting, valued at $3,500, in an auction at the Madaras Gallery Skyline’s spring open house at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 4.
Fifty percent of the auction’s proceeds will go toward the purchase of new enrichment features for the elephants.
More specifically, it will pay for a pulley and hoist system to allow caregivers to place treats high up for the elephants to find.
“They want to create feed nets,” said Vivian VanPeenen, the zoo’s curator of education. “They’re these sort of treat baskets they can hoist up very high so the elephants can reach up and shake the hay and treats out of the baskets. The idea is it keeps them moving and active every day.”
Another Nandi event will take place at the Reid Park Zoo from 9:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, March 6.
Kids will be able to learn all about elephants and elephant conservation during talks given by elephant keepers and education staff, as well as participate in arts and crafts activities.
Posters of the auctioned painting will be available for $15 and Madaras will be there to sign them.
“We only made 500, so people should come early if they really want one,” Madaras said.
Other Nandi merchandise from the painting, including ornaments and coasters, will also be for sale.
Kids will get to test out their artistic skills during a Nandi coloring contest. The contest sheet can be downloaded, printed and colored in advance at reidparkzoo.org.
“We talk a lot about animal adaptation, so we’ll have kids making elephant ears and mud painting,” VanPeenen said. “We’ll take pictures of elephants and let kids put mud on them and talk about why they use mud as sunscreen and bug repellent...And of course, Diana Madaras will be there and we have posters and just getting kids in the community excited, not only about her work and support of wildlife, but what individuals can do to help protect elephants in the wild.”
