Painting Otters Are Amazing Artists

Move over, Picasso. The latest sensation in the art world is a series of paintings created by Anang and Zoosh. You may not have heard of them just yet, but these pint-sized artists are a very rare breed indeed — they are river otters who live at the Great Lakes Aquarium in Minnesota.

According to ABC News, the two otters started painting about a year ago when their keeper introduced them to nontoxic paint and paper during a feeding. The otters had to walk over or around the paint in order to get to their meal. Both otters got used to the feeling of the paint and eventually started to play with it, leaving tail marks and paw prints on the canvases.

While both animals have fun paw painting, Anang seems to be more in touch with her creative side than her male counterpart, says Tara Lieberg, an otter keeper at the aquarium. "She, for whatever reason, has a little artistic ability, whether she wants to or not. She makes really great paintings. And the male just makes paw prints," Lieberg told ABC News.

The result? Original artwork created by animals! Their masterpieces are framed and sold in the aquarium gift shop and online, at prices ranging from $5 to $45.

"If I hand them a carrot, and they take their carrot over when they're making their painting, sometimes there'll be carrot bits on there. People think that's great," Lieberg says.

We agree — it's otterly adorable!