Painting by local badger up for auction at Kamloops wildlife park

At just 13 years old, Bloom's first piece of art will be on sale this winter.

Also, she's a badger.

The long-term resident at the BC Wildlife Park completed a painting a couple of weeks ago and park staff has decided to sell it. They're running a sealed bid auction during Wildlights for the piece of badger art (called the Unicorn), raising money for Ranger's (their educational flying squirrel) new home.

Animal health supervisor Tracy Reynolds says Bloom's keeper wanted to do something fun and interactive with the badger.

"She enjoys the interaction with Danielle, her keeper," Reynolds says. "It's all a positive experience for her; we wouldn't ask her if she didn't want to, it's her own free will if she chooses to participate."

Reynolds adds Bloom isn't intentionally creating art. Her keeper brought the frame and canvas (made by her family from recycled flooring) and put paint on it. Food was then brought out to encourage Bloom.

Reynolds says while the food motivated Bloom to move, the interaction with her keeper and the sensation of the paint in her paws was a positive.

Bloom arrived at the park in 2006, as an orphan.

A couple of the park animals get to paint, notes Reynolds. It's a social event for them, she says, though a bit messy.

"We haven't done a lot of it; I think we'd like to do more and more. We're trying to think about other ones we can get to paint — the raccoons are messy."

The raccoons seem to enjoy interacting with the paint more, Reynolds says. They also clean their little raccoon hands when provided water. The paint the park uses is the same kind people use with small children, Reynolds adds.

A northern flying squirrel that's recovering at the centre may stay one as an educational animal. (via Brendan Kergin)

Animal paintings aren't new. In fact, the BC Wildlife Park has a painting by Kamala the elephant, who lived in Calgary until they got rid of their elephants. Kamala actually held a paintbrush with her trunk. There are others too, like Juniper the Fox.

Bloom's piece, the Unicorn, will be at the wildlife park throughout Wildlights, which ends Jan. 5. They'll sell the artwork through a sealed bid process, with the minimum bid set at $100.

Money raised by the painting's sale will go toward building a new gazebo for the park's latest addition, educational ambassador Ranger, the flying squirrel. That structure is expected to cost around $5,000.

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