Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo, formerly the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo 2 miles WSW of downtown Portland, Oregon in Portland's Washington Park. It is Oregon's largest paid attraction, with more than 1.3 million visitors yearly.
The Oregon Zoo was founded in 1887, making it the oldest North American zoo west of the Mississippi. It began with the donation of an animal attraction which outgrew its place in a vacant lot beside a pharmacy in downtown Portland. [1] The first zoo site was near where the reservoirs are now. The collection grew quickly--by 1894 there were over 300 animals. In 1925, the zoo moved to the present site of the Portland Japanese Garden, and moved again in 1959 to its present site. A few years afterward, management was given to Metro which continues expansion projects, aided by donors, sponsors and volunteers, to the present.
Shortly after the zoo began, the city park keeper (also the zoo keeper then) dug a bear pit, possibly the earliest sunken, barless bear exhibit in the world. Today, the zoo continues the tradition: most animal exhibits are spacious natural or semi-natural environments for the inhabitants—-not the cages of many other zoos. For example, a bird exhibit is a high open air aviary for humans to walk through. (An "air lock" sequential door arrangement keeps the residents at home.)
The zoo became world famous in 1962 when the Asian elephant Packy was born. He was the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in 44 years and is (as of 2006) the largest Asian elephant in the United States at 10.5 ft (3.2 m) tall and 13,500 lbs (6,100 kg). A total of 27 more calves have been born at the Oregon Zoo, including 7 sired by Packy, making it the most successful zoo elephant breeding program in the world. [2]
The zoo has over a thousand specimens representing two hundred species, 21 of which are endangered. In 2003 the zoo began participation in a California condor recovery program started by San Diego Wild Animal Park and Los Angeles Zoo.
Major areas of the zoo
African rainforest (1.3 acres)
Rodriguez Fruit Bats, Straw-Colored Fruit Bats, Egyptian Fruit Bats, Colobus Monkey, Allen's Swamp Monkey, Red Flanked Duiker, Hadada Ibis, Saddle-Billed Stork, White-Faced Whistling Ducks, African Rock Python, Slender-snouted crocodile, Nile Monitor Lizard, Tilapia, Lungfish, Cichlids, Meerkats
African savanna (4+ acres)
Black Rhinoceros, DeBrazza's Monkey, Hippopotamus, Naked Mole-Rat, Reticulated Giraffe, Geranuk, Egyptian Spiny Mice, Damara Zebra, Speke's Gazelle, Southern Ground Hornbill, Weaver Birds, Marabou Stork, Cape Thick-Knee, Red-crested Turaco, Hamerkop, Buffalo Weaver, African Hooded Vulture, Hingeback Tortoise
Alaskan Tundra (1.5+ acres)
Musk Ox, Grey Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Spotted Owl, together with tundra museum exhibits.
Amazon Flooded Forest (2+ acres)
Agouti, Black Howler Monkey, Two-toed Sloth, Pale Faced Saki Monkey, Pygmy Marmoset, Brazilian Cockroach, Swainson's Toucan, Arrau Turtle, Blue Poison Dart Frog, Dwarf Caiman, Emerald Tree Boa, Green Anaconda, Yellow Banded Poison Dart Frog, Cardinal Tetra, Heckle Discus, Orange Spot Freshwater Stingray, Pacu, Arawana, Plescostomus, Raphael Catfish
Asian Elephants (2+ acres)
Four female and three male asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are displayed at the popular elephant exhibit, including the famous Packy. There is a swimming hole in which up to ten elephants can simultaneously completely submerge [3], sandy ground for comfortable walking and a scratcher, which the elephants can choose to scratch their head, sides, belly, etc.
Located next to the elephant exhibit is the Elephant Museum, a collection of historical, religious, and sociological artifacts including some on long term loan from the Smithsonian. [4] An 8 foot (2.4 m) tall mastodon skeleton is present.
Bears
There are five bears in two exhibits: one artic, one tropical. All five bears were born in 1986 or 1987.
The Polar bear exhibit simulates the environment around Churchill, Manitoba near Hudson Bay, Canada. Two females and a male Ursus maritimus are easily viewed.
There are two Malaysian Sun Bears (Helarctos malayanus) in a tropical forest environment simulated in part with heat producing artificial trees.
Pacific Shores (1.2+ acres)
Humboldt penguins, Inca terns.
Primates
Chimpanzees, Orangutans, White-Cheeked Gibbons, Siamangs, Mandrills, Francois Langurs, Red-Handed Tamarins, Tree Shrews
Great Northwest (new, portions under development)
Cascade Stream and Marsh
Beavers, North American river otters, ringtails, egrets.
Eagle Canyon
Bald eagles and kokane salmon
Cascade Crest
A realistic Cascade mountain-like exhibit made mostly of basalt features a snow cave, cirque lake and twisted alpine trees. It is home to a small herd of mountain goats.
Stellar Cove
A typical Oregon Pacific ocean setting includes a tide pool and kelp forest populated with Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), sea otters (Enhydra lutris), anemone, chiton, limpet, snail, mussel, crab, sea cucumber, urchin, sea star, sculpin, goby, painted greenling and gunnel.
Trillium Creek Family Farm
A variety of sheep, goats, chickens and occasional rarer breeds are presented by high school students who also explain local farm historical trends, technology and demonstrate related activities such as composting, shearing and agriculture. The Trillium Creek Family Farm is operated entirely by teenage volunteers.
Cascade Canyon
To be completed in 2006. Planned are bobcat den, cougar and black bear.
Other attractions
Birds of Prey demonstration
The Oregon Zoo is easily accessed via U.S. Highway 26 or the Washington Park MAX station which, at 260 feet (79 m) below the parking area, is the deepest public transit station in North America and second deepest in the world. [5] [6]
The zoo is located at the southern boundary of Washington Park and is within short walk of the Portland Children's Museum, World Forestry Center, Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Hoyt Arboretum. An adjacent trail system connects the zoo to the International Rose Test Garden, the Portland Japanese Garden, and Forest Park.
External link
45°30′30.3120″N 122°42′53.1360″W / 45.508420000°N 122.714760000°W