When Ruby, a seven-month-old elephant from Thailand, came  the Phoenix Zoo in 1974, she was the only elephant at the zoo. Her roommates were some chickens and a goat.

    Ruby was very bored. She had no elephants around her. She was given food and everything she needed,  she had nothing to do, When the workers at the zoo saw Ruby scratching(刮) the ground   A stick, they had an idea. They gave her a paint brush and some paint. With just a little bit of help from her trainer, Ruby became a (paint) of her own style. She produced many paintings. Her (expensive) painting was sold for $25, 000.

    Elephants have the brains to learn how  (paint). But just like people, not all of  have the interest or talent(天赋) to turn it into a "career". Ruby was one of the few who did.

    Ruby (die) in 1998, at the age of 25—very young for an elephant.

    There are very few elephant  (art) left in North America. In Asia, there are programs trying to develop elephant artists. Money got from the (sell) of their art goes towards protecting wild(野生的) elephants.