Elok, the resident orangutan, produced a collection of NFTs as a consequence of a special animal enrichment program called "Art Gone Wild," which was developed by the Oklahoma City Zoo in partnership with the Oklahoma Zoological Society.
Elok, the Oklahoma City Zoo's 21-year-old orangutan, created 20 digitally painted works of art that will be auctioned off in honor of International Orangutan Day. The pieces are unique digital treasures known as NFTs, which will be auctioned off on the NFT platform OpenSea until noon on August 22.
The orangutan-designed NFTs are intended to raise money for the preservation of wild orangutans and their natural environment. These are the first orangutan-made NFTs, despite the fact that there are many NFTs with ape and monkey themes.
Elok used a 2-foot digital brush and a 3X4-foot screen to create the artwork. As the brush was moved, a motion sensor projected the artwork onto the screen. As the first known animal digital artist in the world, Elok, a 21-year-old Sumatran orangutan, actively participated in the program.
The zoo anticipates that the effort, which brings conservation, altruism, and animal enrichment to the NFT region, will be enthusiastically embraced on a global scale. All sales of Elok's artwork will benefit the preservation of orangutans and other threatened species.
The NFTs will be made available through a worldwide auction on Friday, August 19.
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