The Phoenix Zoo has begun what is expected to be a yearslong process of determining whether an elephant who paints also can differentiate between colors.
Because her keepers believe 16-year-old Ruby can differentiate among red, blue and other hues, they are working with researchers from several universities to develop a way to test their hypothesis."It's not a trivial question to answer," said Chris Murphy, a veterinary ophthalmologist with the medical school at the University of California at Davis. "It sounds trivial, but you can't just hold out red and blue plastic blocks and then say that proves it."
Murphy and colleagues at California-Davis - who are conducting their own research into the physiology of elephant eyes - are among those who have coached zoo personnel on how to conduct the color testing, zoo spokesman Dick George said Wednesday.
The zoo also has been in contact with experts at Cornell University, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, he said.
Zoo personnel said Ruby received her first paintbrush two years ago when her keepers noticed she spent a lot of time using rocks and sticks to doodle in the sand. Before long, painting had become a favored reward for successfully completing her regular obedience training.
But not until zoo officials brought people in to see the budding artiste did her abstract talents get the attention of the scientific community. It seems Ruby often chooses the color of her paint based on colors worn by her visitors - on days guests wear red, she tends to paint red. Yellow came into vogue when large earthmoving equipment worked on a nearby construction project.
Zookeepers said they have developed a plywood testing device that will eventually be used to test for color discrimination, but first Ruby must master the mechanics of the machine, which involves pulling a lever for a food reward.