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NOTE: Dates indicate date of press releases.
 U.S. Bank awards Zoo's ZAP Team $15,000 - July, 2002
Baby red-flanked duiker is now on exhibit with its mother -July, 2002
Ballet in the Park at the Oregon Zoo -July, 2002
New Kid on the Rock at the Oregon Zoo - July, 2002
Threatened Penguin Chicks waddle into Zoo Penguinarium - July, 2002
Steller Cove Surfperch birth - July, 2002
Governor Slated to Speak About Salmon at Zoo Groundbreaking - May, 2002
Foreign-Born Students Hone English Speaking Skills at Butterfly Exhibit - May, 2002
Third Condor Chick Hatches in Southern California Back Country - May, 2002
First Wild-Laid Condor Chick Hatches in Southern California Back Country - April, 2002
Bowlers Gather to Help Save Endangered Rhinos- March, 2002
Rabbit Romp at the Zoo - March, 2002
Sea Otters Reunited - March, 2002
Bear Fair - March 2002
Cupid Delivers to the Oregon Zoo - February 13, 2002
World's 1st Contraceptive-Implant Surgery Performed on a Female Southern Sea Otter - February, 2002
Make a Difference: Be a Zoo Teen - January, 2002
Oregon Zoo Recycles 365 Days a Year- January, 2002
Endangered Allen's Swamp Monkey Born at the Oregon Zoo - December, 2001
Oregon Zoo Train Ridership To Hit 10 Million Mark - December, 2001
Meet the Zoos New Male Orangutan- December, 2001
California Condors Return to Oregon - October, 2001
Amazon Flooded Forest Exhibit Opening- September, 2001
Oregon Zoo Chimpanzee Experiences Health Challenges - August, 2001
Oregon Zoo's Steller Cove and its Star Resident Reach Milestones - July, 2001
U.S. BANK AWARDS ZOO'S ZAP TEAM $15,000
PORTLAND, Ore. - U.S. Bank has awarded the Oregon Zoo Foundation a $15,000 grant to help fund Zoo Animal Presenters (ZAP). The ZAP program provides 24 underserved teenagers with paid, two-year internships at the Oregon Zoo. Since the birth of the ZAP program in 1999, the zoo has received $105,000 in support of ZAP.
"ZAP provides kids a great opportunity to see themselves as more than the situations they've come from," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "The zoo is a stepping stone to their future-some kids will have a renewed commitment to finish high school, some will decide to go to college, and others may have a clearer picture of what they'd like to do after high school."
The ZAP internships combine hands-on learning with the acquisition of real world skills that help students build confidence and improve communication skills. Students go through months of training that include animal handling techniques and public speaking enhancement skills.
Once trained, ZAP Team members help the zoo's education department plan community outreach programs, prepare animals for outreach programs, and participate in educating other youth about environmental stewardship and conservation issues through various presentations.
"Last year's ZAP Team was one of the most enthusiastic and informed groups of students we've ever worked with," said Vecchio. "I'm committed to this program and we hope we can expand it in the near future. ZAP does a tremendous job building communication skills and confidence. You can see on the kids' faces that they leave here believing they can accomplish anything," he added.
Zap has truly made a difference. Nearly 80 percent of ZAP members are employed or are still involved in the program. The zoo has hired nine former ZAP members to work in the zoo's education and guest services departments, and three others are now working in their own neighborhoods.
The ZAP Team has presented its conservation message to over 10,000 Portland area residents since its inception three years ago. That number is expected to increase as the ZAP program receives additional sponsorship support.
The Oregon Zoo Foundation coordinates all private fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Oregon Zoo, including a membership program, animal sponsorships, corporate and foundation support and major gifts. The Foundation shares the Oregon Zoo's mission: "inspiring our community to create a better future for wildlife."
2002 ZAP Summer Schedule
July 31 at 10:30 -noon Blue Lake Park Petting Zoo/ Portland Blue Lake Road, off Marine Drive
July 31 at 1 - 2:30 p.m. Boys & GirlsClubs 2 presentations 4 rotations/ Portland 5250 NE MLK
August 1 at 1 - 2:00 p.m. Oregon City Library 10 min. insect intro, open stations/ Oregon City 362 Warner Milne Rd., in parking lot
August 1 at 10 - 11:00 a.m. Knowledge Beginnings Two, 30 min. presentations/ Tigard 10751 SW 130th Ave.
August 1 at 3 - 4:00 p.m. West Linn Library Insects presentations/ West Linn 1595 Burns St.
August 2 at 1 - 2:30 p.m. Dishman Comm. Center Rotating Stations/ Portland 77 NE Knott
August 2 at 10 - 11:00 a.m. Providence Montessori School Rotating Stations / Portland 830 NE 47th
August 3 at 1 - 2:00 p.m. Multnomah County Library Insect presentations/ Portland Belmont Branch 1038 SE 39th
August 3 at 10:30 - 11 a.m. Catering at Oregon Zoo Please call/ Portland 4001 SW Canyon Rd.
August 4 at 1 - 3:00 p.m. Sellwood, Sunday in the Park Petting Zoo/ Portland SE Seventh & Miller
August 6 at 2 - 3:00 p.m. Multnomah County Library Insect Presentations / Portland St. John's Branch 7510 N Charleston
August 6 at 6 - 8:00 p.m. National Night Out Petting Zoo 200 Portland Please call
August 7 at 1:30 - 3 p.m. Mt. Scott Community Center Indoor and outdoor/ Portland 5530 SE 72nd
August 7 at 10:30 -11:30 p.m. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Two 30 minute presentations/ Sandy River/Troutdale Please call
August 8 at 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Girl Scouts-Mountaindale Rotating Stations/ North Plains Please call
August 8 at 2:30 - 3 p.m. Providence YMCA St. Vincent Little guys-quick animal show and pet/ Portland Mother Joseph Bld. St. Vincent
(3-4yro) (off Barnes)
August 9 at 1 - 2:30 p.m. PAL-Portland Two, 45 minute presentations/ Portland 424 NE 172nd
August 9 at 10 - 11:00 a.m. Cedar Hills Rec. Center 4 stations & a 45 minute presentation/ Portland 11640 SW Parkway
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BABY BOOM CONTINUES AT OREGON ZOO
Baby red-flanked duiker is now on exhibit with its mother
After last weeks baby mountain goat was born on exhibit at the Oregon Zoo, the baby boom continues this week with a red flanked duiker born July 21. Duikers are one of the smallest members of the antelope family.
The calf is inquisitive and bold; her mom, Garnet, is being very attentive as the baby explores her surroundings, according to Margot Monti, veterinary technician. The female calf has been observed nursing, and her weight is good, she added.
Shortly after the calf was born, zoo veterinarians noticed that she had a slight limp in her left rear leg. Upon closer examination they determined that the lower foot joint was partially flexed and appeared to sporadically buckle underneath her as she walked. To remedy this, veterinary staff applied a light splint to her lower leg to stabilize the joint. Each day her lower foot seems to improve, but veterinarians will continue to closely watch her over the next few days.
The veterinarians chose a pink colored foot splint in honor of her being a girl, quipped Monti. And a cute one at that!
Zoo visitors may have difficulty spotting the calf for the first couple of weeks because mothers often hide their calves away in a brush pile and only collect them when it's time to nurse. This behavior is the mother's way of protecting the baby from predators. Within three to five weeks, zoo visitors should be able to regularly see the calf.
While not endangered, the red-flanked duiker is conservation dependent, which means it has high enough population numbers to have a sustainable population, but it is threatened. Jentink and zebra banded duikers are the only two duiker species currently listed as endangered, but all duiker species numbers are dropping dramatically due to the bushmeat trade crisis in Africa.
"People are hunting these animals relentlessly for meat to feed their families," said Chris Pfefferkorn, zoo curator and American Zoo and Aquarium Associations studbook keeper for red-flanked duiker.
Pfefferkron oversees the red-flanked duiker population management plan, which is designed to insure that zoo populations are maintained and also develop the zoo's conservation links to in-country programs in Africa.
Duikers are found throughout sub-saharan Africa, in wetlands, rainforests and heavy timber forest. Duikers are classified as frugivores. In the wild they browse or graze on grass, leaves, shrubs and trees, but the main component of their diet is wild fruits, such as yams, sweet potatoes and carrots. They've also have been observed eating carrion and insects, so they have a protein need in their diet, which is different from most antelope. At the zoo they are fed a variety of vegetables and a milled grain, which has vitamins and minerals that they need. They are provided browse, as well as insects like mealworms and crickets for a little protein in their diets as well.
This baby will stay with its parents between six months to a year. Red flanked duikers become sexually mature at around one year of age, so it will need to be removed from its parents before it becomes sexually mature to avoid inbreeding. Where the animal goes will depend on the population management plan and the needs of the population at the time it's ready to move.
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BALLET IN THE PARK AT THE OREGON ZOO
The Pacific Festival Ballet, a non-profit community-based arts organization, will perform in the Summer Series at the Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre August 20 & 23, Tuesday and Friday at 7:00pm.
This family-oriented program includes classical favorites: Paquita Variations; Peasant pas de deux from Giselle; Diana & Acteon pas de deux; as well as Legends of Love choreographed by the current director of the Bolshoi Ballet, Yuri Grigorovich. Contemporary ballets will be represented by Shalene Eves Richochet and Paganninis Passion; Patricia Barts Des Morceaux to selections from Vivaldis The Four Seasons; and One Second, a rock ballet choreographed by Russell Capps.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Pacific Festival Ballet, Scaramouche by Artistic Director, John Gardner with music by Darius Milhaud will be revived from the 1982 Performance in the Park. Live accompaniment will be provided by the duo pianists, Tim and Nancy Le Roi-Nickel who will also perform the Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saens.
Among principal dancers are Diana Perez, Gold medal winner Jackson Ballet Competition; Shalene Eve, formerly of Joffrey Ballet; and Zachary Carroll, formerly of Ballet West and Russell Capps and Maricar Drillon, Nevada Dance theatre.
Tickets for performances, which include Zoo admission, are available at the Zoo offices during regular business hours or at Fastixx (Safeway stores) (503) 224-8499. Prices are $12.00 for adults (12+) and $8.00 for children (3-11). A $2 discount is available for Zoo members at the Plus level and higher. Save parking hassles at the Zoo by taking advantage of an all zone - full day Tri-met fare for an additional $.75 when purchasing your tickets in advance.
The audience is invited to come early to picnic on the grounds and stay to enjoy a Ballet Gala under the stars. For information regarding the performance call (503) 977-1753 or to order your tickets from Fastixx call (503) 224-8499.
This performance is sponsored in part by: Home Depot, Parr Lumber, Jackson Foundation, Ralph L. Smith Foundation, Tri-Met
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NEW KID ON THE ROCK AT THE OREGON ZOO
A baby mountain goat was born at the Oregon Zoo's Cascade Crest exhibit on July 16, 2002. The healthy male kid weighed in at 8 pounds.
His five-year-old mother, whose name is Mom, was expected to give birth in May. Animal management staff had become a little concerned about the delay and decided to perform an ultrasound. However, Mom must have gotten wind of the impending procedure, and got down to business yesterday afternoon.
 Mom came to the zoo from the Oregon Wildlife Foundation in Sheridan in 1998. A third-time mother, Mom is taking very good care of her baby. Her first baby died shortly after birth, and her second baby Cassie was born last spring.
"Baby is following mom around," said Chris Pfefferkorn, zoological curator. "Everything is going the way you'd expect."
"He passed his physical this morning and everything looks good," said Michael Illig, senior North America keeper. "He is nursing and performing other bodily functions that indicate a healthy kid."
Newborn kids normally weigh about eight pounds and are very mobile shortly after birth. They are able to follow their mother in about one week. The baby's father, four-year-old Sam, was born at the Pocatello Zoo in Idaho in 1998 and arrived at the Oregon Zoo in April 2000.
Mountain goat breeding season is in late November to early January. Their brief courtship ritual includes chasing, kicking with the front legs, and various vocalizations. The male also licks the female's coat. Gestation is around 150-180 days and one to three kids are born between May and June. Single births are most common, but twins are not uncommon. Triplets are very rare.
Mountain goats prefer steep, rocky areas in alpine or sub-alpine regions. They migrate between lowland winter areas and high elevation sumer ranges. In the Pacific Northwest, wild mountain goats can be seen on Mt. Adams, Mt. Ranier and other places in the Washington Cascades. They can also be seen in the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon and Washington's Olympic Peninsula where they have been introduced. About 100,000 mountain goats are estimated to live in North America.
Click here for more information on Mountain Goats and view video clip
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THREATENED PENGUIN CHICKS WADDLE INTO ZOO PENGUINARIUM
 Two Humboldt penguin chicks hatched at the Oregon Zoo between March 28 and 30 are now visible to the public. These are the first chicks to be hatched at the zoo in two years and bring the zoo's penguin population to 32.
The chicks stayed with their parents after they hatched, although keepers took the chicks off exhibit twice a day to check on their hydration status and weight. "Even though the chicks were in nestboxes on exhibit, they were small and didn't have their adult feathers, so viewing them wasn't easy until now," said Jan Steele, zoological curator at the zoo.
 Of the 17 species of penguins, the Humboldt is the most threatened. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, placed Humboldts on the Appendix I list in 1981 which means they are "presently threatened with extinction." Commercial guano interests are increasingly encroaching upon their native habitat, the rocky coastline of Peru. Although the government protects much of their habitat, it is not uncommon to find penguin meat and eggs in local marketplaces.
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THE SURF'S NOT THE ONLY THING UP AT STELLER COVE
The population in the Oregon Zoo's Steller Cove Exhibit increased this week with the birth of 11 shiner surfperch. This is the first fish birth in the two-year-old exhibit.
"The babies are pretty fascinating to watch," said JoEllen Marshall, senior marine life keeper. "They look just like miniature adults."
Unlike most fish, surfperch give birth to live young. The embryos develop fully within the mother, gleaning nutrients and oxygen from her body, much like a human fetus does. The developing young suck in nutrients from the ovarian fluid with a modified gill. They also develop large, thin fins covered with capillaries, which absorb oxygen from this fluid.
According to Marshall, the gestation period for surfperch, which can be as long as a year, is relatively long for a fish. As with other livebearers, very few young are born, but few die before they are themselves able to reproduce. While many fish may lay hundreds or, in the case of cod, millions of eggs, most surfperch give birth to 24 very well-developed young. In fact, most males in the family are born sexually mature, capable of fertilizing females at birth.
All perches have short deep bodies that are very thin, with large eyes. They have a single dorsal fin, and deeply forked tail fins. Most perches are brightly colored, and usually have barred or striped coloration patterns. The size varies from 4 to 18 inches, and 1-5 pounds. Surfperch have a relatively short lifespan; it is uncommon to see perch over 6 years of age.
Surfperch are found in the Pacific Ocean from Baja California to southern Alaska.
The fish are currently in holding, but will be viewable in the tide pool when they grow larger.
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GOVERNOR SLATED TO SPEAK ABOUT SALMON AT ZOO GROUNDBREAKING
Work begins on new Eagle Canyon exhibit to feature bald eagles and endangered salmon
PORTLAND, Ore.Governor Kitzhaber will speak during the Oregon Zoos groundbreaking ceremony for its Eagle Canyon exhibit on May 30 at 10 a.m. The new exhibit will feature bald eagles in flight and endangered salmon and will examine timely issues that affect the two species. An avid proponent of salmon conservation, Governor Kitzhaber will discuss the importance of salmon stewardship during the ceremony.
The Eagle Canyon exhibit will tell the story of eagles and salmon and their role in the ecosystem. The exhibit will explain how salmon travel to sea as fingerlings and return to the tributaries of their birth, three years later. It will also explore how eagles and other species rely on salmon for their survival.
Nestled in a natural wooded ravine, visitors will encounter bald eagles perched along streamside snags. In the stream below, salmon will slide through rushing waters. From the shade of a covered bridge, visitors can enjoy a scenic view of the wooded ravine. The exhibit expands upon the existing Cascade exhibit that displays local animals such as river otter, beaver and other native watershed species.
We are constantly striving to educate the public about caring for local wildlife, says Tony Vecchio, zoo director. This new exhibit will focus on the plight of the salmon and other animals found in our own backyards.
In 1999, the salmon population in the northwest declined so seriously the National Marine Fisheries Service acted by extending federal protection to five populations of salmon and steelhead across Oregon and Washington. For the first time salmon found in streams and rivers of the heavily populated areas of Portland are federally protected.
Portland is the first major American community to address the impact of a federally listed endangered species within its city limits, explains Vecchio. Salmon-related issues will impact the lives of virtually all residents over the next several years. The success of the states salmon recovery efforts will be based upon the decisions made by an educated public.
As the most frequently visited paid attraction in Oregonwith 1.3 million visitors annuallythe zoo hopes to educate its visitors about salmon, inspiring people to care about their future.
Portland's salmon story will continue to unfold over the next several years, said Vecchio. Through strong public support and participation, Portland can become a national model for other communities faced with endangered species-related challenges.
The Oregon Zoo Foundation has received a total of $779,000 through the support of corporations, foundations and individuals. During the ceremony, The Oregon Zoo Foundation will present a $150,000 check to Tony Vecchio for Eagle Canyon.
The zoos commitment to local animals is reflected in the Great Northwest exhibit. Since 1997, the zoo has completed the first three phases of the exhibit. The total project cost for Great Northwest is $37 million. The Oregon Zoo Foundation plans to secure the final $1.1 million needed to complete the Great Northwest exhibit through individual, foundation and corporate sources. For more information about donor opportunities, contact 503-220-5747.
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FOREIGN-BORN STUDENTS HONE ENGLISH-SPEAKING SKILLS AT ZOOS BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT
Spanish, Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Arabic speaking students share their butterfly expertise with zoo visitors
PORTLAND, Ore. From now until May 30, English as Second Language (ESL) students from Beaverton High School will practice their English skills at the Oregon Zoo on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thirty-six ESL students will volunteer in the zoos new Winged Wonders butterfly exhibit, helping visitors spot butterflies, answering questions and staffing a children's discovery area.
The students recently arrived in the United States and come from countries all over the world. Ten different languages are represented within their group, including Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Farsi, Hindi (from Fiji), Oromo (from Ethiopia), Creole (from Sierra Leone) and Vietnamese.
The students have been studying butterflies in the classroom as part of a several week unit. Each student has chosen one species of butterfly from the exhibit for more in-depth research; they then orally describe their findings to the class. Through their research, writing, and public speaking assignments, each student has fulfilled common curriculum goals in reading, writing, communication and life science.
Helen Lovgren, ESL teacher for Beaverton School District, says students have found butterflies to be highly interesting, engaging, and meaningfulessential ingredients for learning.
Now comes the exciting part, says Lovgren. The students will be in a position to share their knowledge with visitors. Its this application of knowledge in a real world situation, outside the classroom, that is so valuable to our young people.
The students may also be called upon to use their first languages for interpreting to non-English speaking zoo visitors. Each student will wear a button that will identify his or her native language.
Our visitors come from all over the world, according to Tony Vecchio, zoo director. Its great to have these talented students on grounds to convey butterfly information in English, as well as other languages.
Lovgren believes that through interpreting butterflies at the zoo, the value of bilingual skills will become increasingly apparent to them.
Beaverton School District serves 4,200 English Language Learners who represent over 12 percent of the district enrollment. The program began in the 1970s with the arrival of Southeast Asian refugees, and today, there are over 70 languages represented in our immigrant and refugee students in Beaverton schools. Currently, there is an English Language Development program at every school in the district.
As of this year, districts retention/graduation rate of second language learners has increased and the number of students who have been evaluated and have been classified as proficient in speaking/listening/reading/writing of English has gone up over 150 percent from last year (Part of the proficiency portfolio is having met benchmarks in reading and writing) and has significantly helped raise benchmarks and test scores for foreign-born students.
Because of the ongoing, sustained sheltered English training the ESL district staff has provided to teachers like Lovgren, and the support of district ESL counselor and bilingual liaisons, secondary students are taking more content classes, staying in school and are on track to graduate, says Virginia Aguilar, executive administrator of special programs for Beaverton School District. Adding, district data reflects this.
Aguilar says opportunities like the zoo project, provide students a vehicle to integrate and demonstrate their content knowledge, their native language, and their academic English skills.
The zoo works closely with the Beaverton School District on other educational programs. This is the third time ESL students from Beaverton High School have served as interpreters at the Oregon Zoo.
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THIRD CONDOR CHICK HATCHES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BACK-COUNTRY
For the third time this year a California condor chick has hatched in the wild. The inside of the nest cave is deep and obscured by bushes so biologists are unable to see the chick. However, increased activity by both parents at the nest indicate that the egg hatched on Tuesday May 28.
The nest is adjacent to the Sespe Condor Sanctuary of the Los Padres National Forest in the rugged back country of California's Ventura County. Service and Zoological Society of San Diego biologists have been monitoring the nest for the last eight weeks. The chick's parents were captive-reared at the Los Angeles Zoo, are eight years old, and were released into the wild 1n 1995.
In nearby canyons, two other condor pairs are successfully brooding chicks. The oldest chick is now seven weeks old, it is the first chick in 18 years to hatch from an egg laid in the wild. The other chick is nearly three weeks old. Another active condor nest in the Grand Canyon, Arizona may also have a chick. There are 70 condors now living in the wild in California and Arizona, 16 in field pens ready for release and 113 in captivity at the Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. The goal of the California Condor Recovery Plan is to establish two geographically separate populations, one in California and the other in Arizona, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs.
The largest bird in North America, condors are scavengers that have soared over mountainous areas of California since prehistoric times, but
their numbers plummeted in the 20th Century. Condor numbers declined in part due to loss of habitat and food and from shooting, lead poisoning and toxic substances used to poison predators. Condors were listed as an endangered species in 1967, under a law that pre-dated the existing Endangered Species Act. In 1982, the condor population reached its lowest level of 22 birds, prompting biologists to start collecting chicks and eggs for a captive breeding program. By late 1984, only 15 condors remained in the wild. After seven condors died in rapid succession, it was decided to bring the remaining birds in from the wild for the captive breeding program. In 1992, the Recovery Program began releasing California condor back into the wild.
The California Condor Recovery Program is built upon a foundation of private and public partnerships. The focus of the condor recovery effort is the release of captive reared condors to the wild to ultimately establish self-sustaining populations. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for coordinating the conservation of the California condor, working with the Los Padres National Forest, California Department of Fish and game, and several private partners.
Private organizations and institutions are not just interested observers, but are active and essential participants in the implementation of the recovery program, contributing personnel, expertise, institutional support, and funding. California condor captive breeding programs are operated at San Diego Wild Animal Park, Los Angeles Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey. To date, 218 condor chicks have been raised in captive propagation facilities. Release programs in California are managed by Ventana Wilderness Society and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge; the Arizona release is managed by The Peregrine Fund.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit http://www.fws.gov
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FIRST WILD-LAID CONDOR CHICK HATCHES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BACK COUNTRY
For the first time in 18 years, a condor egg laid in the wild has hatched in the wild. The egg hatched on Thursday April 11, in a nest in the rugged back country of California's Ventura County. The chick's parents were captive-reared at the Los Angeles Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park, then released into the wild at the age of one by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the Service) in 1995.
Dr. Allen Mee of the Zoological Society of San Diego watched the historic event. "The female, R8, went into the cave at around midday" he said. The male, W0, was sitting on the already cracked egg. She stared at her mate for a while, waiting for him to leave, but he just stared back. Then she nudged him off the egg, pushing her head under his tail. In attempting to incubate the egg, she inadvertently crushed the egg shell, exposing the chick. For several hours she was restless and appeared confused, trying to incubate both the chick and the egg pieces. Eventually she settled down on the new born chick. It was just incredible."
"Since the hatching W0 and R8 have been excellent parents feeding and caring for the chick in text-book fashion. However, we'll remain cautiously optimistic while this chick develops." said Mike Barth, the Service's Supervisory Wildlife biologist for condor recovery efforts in southern California. "It's very exciting, the significance of this hatching for the condor program is so much greater than the event itself."
Dr Mee found the nest site February 18 after several weeks of monitoring a pair of condors as he and U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists investigated nest caves in a remote canyon. Concerned that the male of the pair was initially not sharing egg incubation duties with the female, biologists planned to remove the egg from the nest and substitute it for an artificial egg that would then be cared for at the Los Angeles Zoo until hatching was imminent. Biologists would then repeat the egg swap. However, those plans changed after the male, which had finally begun incubating the egg, refused to leave the egg when biologists approached the nest, an action that was viewed as a positive commitment by the male parent to care for his offspring. Biologists decided to let the pair incubate the egg on their own.
For the past two months the pair have been attentive parents and have shared in the incubation duties, spending up to a week on the egg at one time. "They have continued to be attentive during the incubation and hatching stage of parenthood," said Marc Weitzel, manager of the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, which supervises condor recovery in Southern California. "This gives us confidence that they will continue nurturing the chick." In May 2001, these parents were part of a condor trio--one male and two females--that successfully hatched a Los Angeles Zoo egg in the wild. Unfortunately, that chick died within a few days.
Four other condor nest sites have been observed this year, two more in California and two in the Grand Canyon in Arizona, according to Bruce Palmer, the Service's Condor Program Coordinator. The numbers of breeding pairs are increasing every year and with every attempt at breeding the condor pairs gain valuable experience.
Zoo Director for Los Angeles Zoo, Manuel Mollinedo said, "The Los Angeles Zoo has been involved with captive breeding California condors for almost twenty years and it's wonderful to see those captive birds now breeding in the wild." "We now know that these captive bred birds are capable of living and breeding in the wild," said Steve Thompson, Manager of the Service's California-Nevada Operations Office, "and now with this hatching and four other active condor nests, we eagerly anticipate the successful rearing of a chick this season." "A condor chick hatched in the wild for the first time in 18 years is a major success because it shows captive-bred adults can reproduce successfully in the natural habitat," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who as an associate solicitor with the department in the 1980s, played a role in removing the last remaining condors from the wild so they could reproduce in captivity and be reintroduced later. "Hand-in-hand with many partners, we are pulling this majestic bird back from the brink of extinction."
There are 63 condors now living in the wild in California and Arizona, 18 in field pens ready for release and 104 in captivity at the Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. Seven more captive-bred juveniles will be released in the Sespe Wilderness Area in Ventura County, California this spring.
The goal of the California Condor Recovery Plan is to establish two geographically separate populations, one in California and the other in Arizona, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs. The largest bird in North America, condors are scavengers that have soared over mountainous areas of California since prehistoric times, but their numbers plummeted in the 20th Century. Condor numbers declined in part due to loss of habitat and food and from shooting, lead poisoning and toxic substances used to poison predators. Condors were listed as an endangered species in 1967, under a law that pre-dated the existing Endangered Species Act. In 1982, the condor population reached its lowest level of 22 birds, prompting Service biologists to start collecting chicks and eggs for a captive breeding program. By late 1984, only 15 condors remained in the wild. After seven condors died in rapid succession, it was decided to bring the remaining birds in from the wild for the captive breeding program. In 1992, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began releasing California condor back into the wild.
The California Condor Recovery Program is built upon a foundation of private and public partnerships. The focus of the condor recovery effort is the release of captive reared condors to the wild to ultimately establish self-sustaining populations. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for coordinating the conservation of the California condor, working with the Los Padres National Forest, California Department of Fish and game, and several private partners. Private organizations and institutions are not just interested observers, but are active and essential participants in the implementation of the recovery program, contributing personnel, expertise, institutional support, and funding. California condor captive breeding programs are operated at San Diego Wild Animal Park, Los Angeles Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey.
To date, 218 condor chicks have been raised in captive propagation facilities. Release programs in California are managed by Ventana Wilderness Society and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge; the Arizona release is managed by The Peregrine Fund.
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BOWLERS GATHER TO HELP SAVE ENDANGERED RHINOS
13th Annual Bowling for Rhinos slated for Saturday, April 20th
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Hundreds of bowlers will hit the lanes Saturday, April 20th to save the world's endangered rhinos. Bowling for Rhinos, an annual fundraiser in its 13th year, takes place at Beavertons Brunswick Sunset Lanes in two afternoon sessions beginning at noon and 3 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Portland Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers.
Bowling for Rhinos is a national program that has raised more than $1.4 million since its inception. Portland bowlers have raised more than $133,000 of that amount, more than any other city in the country. Money raised goes directly to three specific rhino conservation projects working to protect three of the worlds five species of rhinos.
Bowlers raise funds by collecting tax-deductible pledges. The Portland event features door prizes and a raffle for a variety of items. Nationally, the top two fundraisers win a two-week trip to Kenya, and will be the guests of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Lewa was the first rhino program supported by the bowling event. Two additional Indonesian programs now receive funds Ujung Kulon National Park on the island of Java, a tropical lowland rainforest area home to the reclusive Javan rhino; and Bukit Barasan Selatan National Park, on the island of Sumatra. Bukit Barison is home to the rare Sumatran rhino and other endangered animals, including Asian elephants, tigers, clouded leopards and Malayan sun bears.
Michael Illig, the Oregon Zoos senior Africa keeper and local coordinator for Bowling for Rhinos, noted that globally, all rhino populations are low.
There are less than 2,700 black, only 300 Sumatran and less than 60 Javan rhinos left in the wild. While populations of white rhinos (estimated to be 10,400) and Indian rhinos (estimated to be 2,400) are more stable, they too are considered threatened, Illig said. Saving all species of rhinos is important, but the most critically endangered species drive our efforts, he added.
Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio is pleased that the zoos keepers and the greater zoo community have done so much to save rhinos.
The primary mission of the Oregon Zoo is conservation, he said. It is especially gratifying to see that our dedicated staff believes so strongly in that mission and has devoted so much of their own time and resources to this important conservation mission."
Registration forms for both bowlers and sponsors are available on the web site. Individuals and teams are encouraged to register early, but walk-ins are welcome. Additional information is available by calling the zoos Michael Illig at 503-226-1561, extension 275.
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RABBIT ROMP AT THE OREGON ZOO
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Oregon Zoo invites children of all ages to celebrate spring during Rabbit Romp on Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The traditional candy "egg" hunt, divided into five age groups for children three to ten years of age, will again be held every 20 minutes beginning at 9:30 a.m. Each hunt includes a "magic" egg that can be turned in for a special prize. Other activities include a petting zoo, bunny rabbit crafts, games and stories and a Mad Hatter's Tea Party by the Young People's Theater Project. The Oregon Humane Society will be on hand with rabbit adoptions and to provide proper pet care instruction.
An interactive learning station features enlarged versions of pygmy rabbit burrows, which can be explored. Rabbit Rompers can learn about this endangered species that lives behind-the-scenes at the zoo by watching a video of the pygmy rabbits in action and speaking to Zoo Animal Presenters.
Rabbit Romp is free with regular zoo admission. General admission is $7.50 (12-64), seniors $6 (65+), children $4.50 (3-11), and children under 3 are free. Support for Rabbit Romp is provided by Rosie 105 and Safeway.
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SEA OTTERS THELMA AND EDDIE ARE REUNITED
PORTLAND, Ore.Today, sea otters Thelma and her mate Eddie were re-introduced after a long separation. The two otters were separated after Thelmas pup Ozzie was born to ensure the pups safety and to prevent another pregnancy. Ozzie was the first southern sea otter to be conceived, born and raised by his mother in a zoo environment. US Fish & Wildlife Service has requested that Thelma have no additional pups until a formal sea otter breeding plan is adopted.
Thelma recently received a birth-control implantthe first of its kind on a female southern sea otterto prevent another pregnancy. Zoo staff confirmed that the implant is working effectively and therefore the zoo is able to reunite the two sea otters.
According to Senior Marine Life keeper JoEllen Marshall, We do expect to see some breeding behavior, where males can sometimes show aggression towards females. We hope there wont be too much aggressionand well be prepared to separate the two if we need to.
Marshall believes the introduction will work out fine because of the animals past relationship.
We hope that we can help rekindle that close bond, said Marshall. Once a formal breeding plan is in place, we hope that Thelma and Eddie can have another pup.
Thelma was found stranded on a California beach as an infant and rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She was rehabilitated and released back into the wild twice, but was unable to maintain body weight. She was brought back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where officials determined that she could not survive in the wild and began the search to find her a new home. Thelma and her mate Eddie spent a short period at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Wash., before arriving at the Oregon Zoo in the summer of 2000 upon completion of the Steller Cove exhibit.
To the surprise of their keepers, Thelma gave birth to a pup although both she and her mate Eddie were both a year younger than the expected age of maturation.
The Oregon Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium are partners in a sea otter conservation program to ensure the continuing survival of the southern sea otter through rehabilitation and research.
Thelma and Eddie can be seen swimming in the Steller Cove exhibit. General admission is $7.50 (12-64), seniors $6 (65+), children $4.50 (3-11), and children under 3 are free.
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AN AFFAIR FOR BEARS
A party even Goldilocks wouldnt miss!
PORTLAND, Ore. Do bears hibernate in the winter? Visitors will discover the surprising answer to this question and learn other facts about bears during Bear Fair, March 23 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo, sponsored by ODS and the dentists of the Oregon Dental Association.
Bear Fair will star polar, grizzly, black and Malayan sun bears as well as teddy bears. Bear Fair activities include crafts, stories, and experiments that will educate visitors about the different habitats and characteristics unique to each bear.
A special Teddy Bear Picnic area will be set up for children of all ages to bring or purchase their lunches and feast with their teddy bears or their teddy bears buddies.
According to Krista Swan, Oregon Zoo event coordinator, Repair-A-Bear, a special surgical mending station, will be set-up for operations, check-ups, shots, chiropractic adjustments and emergency patchwork in case your teddy bear or its buddy needs a little extra loving care.
ODS will be on hand to check on the oral health of bear buddies and will hand out special prizes for children who stop by the booth and bare their teeth.
Smokey Bear will be making a guest appearance from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. to educate children about protecting bears natural habitats by practicing fire safety in the forest. The zoos own costumed bear mascot, Honey Bear, will be making friends during her appearance.
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CUPID DELIVERS TO THE OREGON ZOO
PORTLAND, Ore. The female elephants at the zoo will each receive a valentine gift from their favorite keepers on Thursday, February 14. The heart-shaped boxes--once filled with chocolate--will contain apples and other fruit and vegetables.
Gouda, the new baby swamp monkey and his mom will also receive heart-shaped boxes full of Valentine's surprises. Their boxes will contain raisins, grapes, bananas and seeds.
Tasty, heart-shaped ice treats filled with Valentine's delicacies will be given to Eddie the sea otter and the feisty river otters, MacKenzie and Columbia.
This is the second year that the special Valentine's Day enrichment treats have been handed out to zoo residents. The Oregon Zoo is known internationally for its enrichment programs, which provide animals with the opportunity to play, hunt and forage as they would in the wild.
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WORLD'S FIRST CONTRACEPTIVE-IMPLANT SURGERY PERFORMED ON FEMALE SOUTHERN SEA OTTER DEEMED SUCCESS
PORTLAND, Ore.Thelma, the Oregon Zoo's resident sea otter, is swimming in her exhibit again after recuperating from surgery. Thelma recently underwent surgery receiving the world's first contraceptive implant on a female southern sea otter. The reversible procedure was successful and Thelma is now recovering on exhibit.
We performed this reversible procedure because US Fish & Wildlife Service recommended that we not allow our sea otters Eddie and Thelma to have another pup, according to Chris Pfefferkorn, zoological curator. He added, It was important to us that this procedure be completely reversible. We hope that we may someday participate in a captive breeding and reintroduction program for sea otters.
Dr. Michael Murray, an aquatic mammal veterinarian who works closely with the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, performed the surgery. The surgery which has never been performed on a female southern sea otterinvolved placing a small, time-released contraceptive under her skin in the lower abdomen area. Thelma's implant was inserted between the body wall and the skin, tucked under a fat pad near her right rear leg. Dr. Murray chose the area because of the protective fat layer, and because otters tend to groom their lower abdomen less actively, reducing the chance for infection. Of the surgeries Dr. Murray has performed in this area, none of the otters have shown post-operative problems.
Dr. Murray was asked to perform the surgery because he has extensive experience operating on hundreds of sea otters at Monterey Bay Aquarium. He operated on Thelma when she was just six months old, placing a radio transmitter in her abdomen shortly before she was to be released into the wild.
Thelma was found stranded on a California beach as an infant and rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She was rehabilitated and released back into the wild twice, but was unable to maintain body weight. She was brought back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where officials determined that she could not survive in the wild and began the search to find her a new home. Thelma and her mate Eddie spent a short period at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Wash., before arriving at the Oregon Zoo in the summer of 2000 upon completion of the Steller Cove exhibit.
To the surprise of their keepers, Thelma gave birth to a pup although both she and her mate Eddie were both a year younger than the expected age of maturation. Their sea otter pup, Oz, was the first southern sea otter in the world ever to be conceived, born and raised in a zoo or aquarium.
The Oregon Zoo and Monterey Bay Aquarium are partners in a sea otter conservation program to ensure the continuing survival of the southern sea otter through rehabilitation and research. Thelma can be seen swimming in the Steller Cove exhibit.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE - BE A ZOOTEEN
Teens from Astoria to Hood River, Longview to Salem, help educate the public about animal conservation.
PORTLAND, Ore. A bright splotched corn snake wraps around your arm. A sleek ferret basks in the warm sun, content to catch a few winks in your lap. A desert tortoise still shows the pattern of a fiberglass repair on its shell. You know the story behind the injury and rescue, while children gather around eager to hear your story. Looking for something wild and exciting to do this summer? If you love animals and have a desire to learn more and teach about animals at the Oregon Zoothis is the program for you.
The Oregon Zoo is looking for students who are entering 9th through 12th grade this fall to be ZooTeens. Applications are available now and will be accepted until March 1, 2002.
ZooTeens get the chance to make a difference in the worldwe are doing something important, explains Arial Zimmerman, a fifth-year zoo teen team leader and Lincoln High student. Through ZooTeens, we learn about the importance of protecting the environment by interacting with the keepers and the zoo animals. We use that knowledge in turn to educate zoo visitors about the animals and the importance of animal conservation.
Each summer 300 teens, ages 13 to 17, contribute 30,000 hours to the zoo. The program, which is in its 25th year, focuses on public interaction and education, teaching the students animal knowledge, public speaking, and job skills. ZooTeens travel from as far away as Astoria, Hood River, Longview and Salem to participate in the program.
While volunteering as a ZooTeen, students have the opportunity to present animals to visitors, help keepers with the care and feeding of pettable animals in the Little Zoo, go on a behind-the-scene tour with keepers, and manage the pygmy goat kraalsolely run by teens. Some ZooTeens, with additional training, will also be able to work in the Insect Zoo, give animals presentations, and serve as a junior camp counselor at zoo day camps.
We are the only zoo in the nation that has teenagers supervising teenagers, said Mia Reager, zoo youth volunteer coordinator, This allows the teens to create a unique environment where they feel they belong; it's a kind of family.
ZooTeens gain an insiders view of the zoo and its animals, make new friends, develop leadership skills, gain public speaking skills in a fun environment, handle some zoo animals, and explore career possibilities. ZooTeens apply and go through an interview process, which teaches valuable career skills and prepares them for future job interview situations.
ZooTeens work 11 hours a week, split into two 5 1/2 hour shifts, with two weeks vacation off. They receive 30 hours of background training. Fifty to 70 ZooTeens may be invited to remain on and participate in the winter volunteer program. Thirty-five of these ZooTeens have the opportunity to become Team Leaders. These select teens help lead the program on a daily basis.
The Team Leader program has received Mutual of Omaha's Wildlife Heritage Center's Award of Excellence twice for youth leadership involvement. The ZooTeen program is helping me prepare for college, said Zimmerman, I am using the volunteer experience and skills I have learned to apply for college scholarships.
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OREGON ZOO RECYCLES 365 DAYS A YEAR
PORTLAND, Ore.The Oregon Zoos wolves, musk ox, and grizzly bear celebrate the new year with Christmas trees, recycled from the homes of zoo employees. The trees help to enrich and stimulate the animals and add variety to their surroundings. This is yet another example of the zoos commitment to recycling and its ongoing efforts to preserve the environment.
The zoo earlier announced its Green Resolutions for 2002, which include several paper reduction measures as well as reductions in use of energy, non-sustainably produced items and fuels.
Because of our involvement with conservation of endangered species, we think the zoo should set an example for other businesses, said Zoo Director Tony Vecchio.
The zoos green resolutions for 2002 are:
- Continue to explore new sources of sustainable products.
- Reduce use of copy paper an additional 15 percent by encouraging employees to create and send documents electronically (hence this electronic news release).
- Explore electronic archiving of documents and reduce the amount of paper that goes into files.
- Put requirements for sustainability measures in Request For Proposals (RFPs) for outside contractors.
- Reduce orders of phone directories by 75 percent and instead encourage staff to use the internet-based directory.
- Whenever possible, use local, sustainably grown lumber.
- Convert 80 percent of our in-house forms to electronic, on-line versions.
- Use reusable plates and silverware for our student programs.
- Set up a program to recycle fluorescent bulbs.
- Sign up at least 200 employees to participate in the citywide Car Free-Care Free week, and continue to encourage staff and volunteers to leave their cars at home at least one day a week.
- Increase the amount of information available on the zoos internal web site, and, accordingly, minimize the amount of printed employee information.
- Inform and inspire others individuals and businesses by sharing the zoos green ideas, and by facilitating information exchanges.
This is the third year that the zoo has published green resolutions, and many resolutions from past years have become ongoing zoo policy. These include:
- Striving to serve only foods that are grown and harvested using sustainable and environmentally sound practices at the zoos restaurant and catering facilities.
- Providing opportunities for zoo staff and volunteers to participate in at least two environmental projects, such as habitat restoration or trash pick-up.
- Working with zoo vendors and suppliers to reduce packaging.
- Incorporate green design principles in building design, development and remodeling projects.
- Purchasing products that have been recycled or have a recycled content, including used vehicles and office equipment.
- Using the least toxic products in grounds maintenance and custodial operations.
- Recycling everything&.including animal wastes!
The zoos Green Team wrote the resolutions. The team meets monthly to explore new ways of taking the zoos green operations to a higher level. The Green Team includes representatives from all areas of zoo operations.
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PORTLAND, Ore.--A rare AllenÌs swamp monkey baby will be on exhibit at the Oregon Zoo on Friday, December 28. The baby boy named Gouda was born November 23 and has been off exhibit with its mother due to cold weather. Only five other zoos in the country are home to the endangered AllenÌs swamp monkey.
ÏThe new baby is doing great,Ó said Zoological Curator Chris Pfefferkorn. ÏHe is very alert, has a healthy appetite, and has actually been observed reaching out for food.Ó
The new infant brings the zooÌs swamp monkey population to six. He joins mother Dannon, 11, father Devon, 14, sisters Sweet Tilly, 3, and Brie, 1, as well as Butterball, 20, in their Africa Rain Forest home. Gouda is Dannon and DevonÌs fourth baby. GoudaÌs parents, along with Butterball, came to the zoo in 1994 on breeding loan from the San Diego Zoo.
The grayish AllenÌs swamp monkey is native to the riverbank forests of the Congo and western Zaire. They are similar to baboons in that they spend most of their lives on the ground. Males grow to 25 pounds, where as females are slightly smaller. Extremely quick, the monkeys feed on a great quantity of vegetables, fruits and grain. Zookeepers find them to be very active and inquisitive, adept at taking things apart. Like all African primates, it is believed that their numbers are continuing to decline. Although habitat loss is often cited as the primary threat to wildlife, commercial hunting for the meat of wild animals has become the most significant immediate threat to the future of wildlife in Africa and around the world.
In an experiment, which has been highly successful, the swamp monkeys were placed into a shared environment with the zooÌs Colobus monkeys, also from central Africa. Both groups are very social primates, although the Colobus normally are far more arboreal than the swamp group.
ÏThey should all get along just fine based upon last yearÌs birth of Brie,Ó said Pfefferkorn. ÏThe Colobus monkeys are sure to be quite curious about Gouda, but mom and dad will keep their distance from the others, which is quite normal for attentive parents.Ó
The Oregon Zoo participates in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's population management plan. The plan is a cooperative breeding program that aims to provide a sustainable, genetically diverse population in North America. The plan ensures that captive populations are maintained and also helps zoos develop conservation links to in-country programs in Africa.
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Portland, Ore. Ò The Oregon ZooÌs railway is about to hit an impressive milestone. According to zoo records, the 10 millionth person to ride the rails will occur sometime between Dec. 19 and 23 during ZooLights (trains do not run during the day). An intern working on train statistics for the zooÌs marketing department discovered the approaching event.
ÏWeÌve always known how popular our trains are,Ó said zoo director, Tony Vecchio, Ïbut frankly we had no idea that we were closing in on 10 million passengers.Ó
Zoo staff will be closely monitoring train ticket sales for ZooLights, and will alert the train depot when the occasion is imminent. Lucky passenger 10 million will receive a zoo family membership, as well as a gift bag from Volkswagen, the presenting sponsor of ZooLights.
History of the Washington Park and Zoo Railway
The Zoo railway grew out of a planned kiddy train that was to be part of PortlandÌs new zoo. The Zoo, being relocated to the current site, was slated to open in the summer of 1959 during all the festivities of OregonÌs centennial celebration. When plans were unveiled for the 30" gauge line, train fans from around the region pitched in with suggestions, fund-raising efforts and manual labor. Groups included members of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club, and the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers.
School children sold "stock" at $1 per share and a childrenÌs book called Clickety Clack and the Bandits was sold to help pay for the zoo line. The Portland Zoo Railway began operation during the summer of 1958 with the Zooliner, the zooÌs first train, which is still in use.
The following year found three passenger trains in the zoo railwayÌs stable. A brand new steam train, The Steamer, and The Oregon Express joined the Zooliner. All the trains were built in Portland by local firms at cost. Several parts were actually donated.
In 1960 the 1 1/2 mile extension to Washington Park opened. The Southern Pacific Railroad surveyed the line. It was constructed with the help of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (now part of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway) and the Portland Terminal Railroad Company. The Union Pacific hauled ballast over from Prineville at no charge.
In 1978 the railroad was renamed Washington Park and Zoo Railway when the City of Portland turned over operation of the Zoo to the Metropolitan Service District. This name better reflected the service provided by the Zoo Railway.
Today all three trains (The Zooliner, The Steamer, and The Oregon Express) operate simultaneously on busy days. Additional rolling stock also includes a Fire Train built in 1959 by Weyerhaeuser Corp., and a work train. They are all cared for by both professional staff and zoo volunteers.
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INJI AND BATIK GET A NEW HOUSE MATE
Move in a male and everything changes.
The Oregon Zoos two female Sumatran orangutans, Inji, and Batik, have experienced quite a few changes lately. From their enclosure, they watched construction crews create the zoos newest exhibit, Amazon Flooded Forest. The construction closed off the public viewing to the orang enclosure, but beginning Dec. 12, a brand new viewing window will allow the orangs to once again observe zoo visitors. And as if that werent enough, Inji and Batik encountered some changes of their own a new roommate a male.
This summer, the 7-year-old orangutan, Kutai joined 41-year-old Inji and 14-year-old Batik who have lived at the zoo since 1961 and 1996 respectively. However due to the construction of Amazon Flooded Forest, the public has not had an opportunity to meet Kutai.
Move in a male, says senior primate keeper Dave Thomas, and everything changes.
Oregon Zoo had been looking for a male to fill out their group, and eventually breed with Batik, who is regarded as a genetically important female by the Species Survival Plan for orangutans. With the arrival of Kutai, the story of their orangutan group comes full circle. Though he has spent his life up to now in Wichita, Kutais story really begins at Oregon Zoo.
In 1987 Inji and her longtime mate, Harry, had a son, Kalimantan. At the SSPs recommendation, Kalimantan was moved, eventually ending up at Sedgewick County Zoo to form a breeding group there. As planned, Kalimantan bred with a female, a wild-born orangutan. Kutai is their son, making Inji his grandmother.
In the long run, the Zoo hopes that Kutai and Batik will become successful breeders. Initially, however, we want this group, says Thomas, to settle down for awhile.
Theres nothing any cuter than an infant orangutan, continues Thomas. But thats a ways down the road.
The two types of orangutans, Sumatran and Bornean, are both classified as endangered.
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CALIFORNIA CONDORS RETURN TO OREGON
The largest native birds in North America will be returning to Oregon after a 97-year absence.
The Oregon Zoo has just been accepted as a member of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service California Condor Recovery Program, and will be building the nations fourth condor breeding facility. Existing condor breeding facilities are at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo and the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho.
The idea of bringing condors back to Oregon originated in a brainstorming meeting about how the Oregon Zoo could participate in the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, slated for 2005-2006. Lewis and Clark saw condors along the Columbia River between The Dalles and Astoria. Their first sighting was on Oct. 28, 1805. In their journals, they refer to them as the beatifull Buzzard of the columbia (sic). They killed one and carefully examined and weighed it, making thorough notes in their journal about the 9' 2 wingspan, red head and whitish patches under the wings.
Condor bones at least 9,000 years old have been unearthed by archeologists in Oregon Indian middens, and the condor is still a common design motif in the traditional art of Wasco Indians, who lived along the Columbia from The Dalles to Cascade Locks. Native Oregonians also captured condor chicks and kept them as protection against natural disasters.
Biologists surmise that condors didnt disappear from Oregon because of lack of habitat, but rather because they were easy prey for humans. Lewis and Clark killed two and wounded another. Explorer David Douglas shot a pair near Multnomah Falls in 1828. Many are also thought to have died after eating predators poisoned by strychnine placed by early settlers.
The last condors were seen in Oregon in 1904, near the town of Drain, in southwest Oregon.
Condors held out a little longer in California, but in 1987, there were only 27 left in the wild. In a desperate attempt to save the species, biologists decided to put all the remaining condors into a captive breeding program. The number of condors has since increased to 16146 in the wild, 15 in field pens, pending release and100 at breeding centers.
The first release of condors back to the wild occurred on January 14, 1992, at Californias Sespe Condor Sanctuary in Los Padres National Forest.
Two other populations have since been established, one at Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona, 30 miles north of the Grand Canyon, and one at the Ventana Wilderness Refuge, near Big Sur, California.
For now, condor eggs laid at the Oregon Zoo facility will be raised at one of the three other breeding facilities and released at existing sites in California and Arizona. However, although it could be years from now, many Oregon biologists and wildlife managers believe we may once again see condors soaring in Oregon skies.
An Oregon population of condors makes sense from several standpoints," according to Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. Not only is Oregon part of their native range, but in the event that a disease came along and wiped out the condors farther south, it makes sense to have an isolated population.
"In such small and somewhat inbred groups of animals, we worry that a disease could come along to which they have no resistance. A remote population which does not mix with the established populations, could be important insurance in such a case.
Whether or not condors will eventually be released in Oregon will be the decision of the California Condor Recovery Team, a group of representatives from various wildlife agencies and breeding facilities appointed by the Regional Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Four to eight pairs of condors will be housed at the Oregon Zoos facility. The birds are likely to be young ones that will hatch this spring at one of the three other facilities. The condors will not be sexually mature for four to five years and they will not be on exhibit to the public in the near future. The facility, which will be ready for birds this late this year or early next year, will be at a remote site, not on the zoo grounds.
It is important that the condors not get used to people, and pains will be taken so the condors dont bond with or associate with humans. If they become too accustomed to humans, they can become pesky when released into the wild, Vecchio said.
Condors, like their smaller turkey vulture cousins, are carrion-feeders, which means they only eat animals they find already dead. Because of this, their re-introduction into the wild has been much less controversial than the reintroduction of species such as wolves and grizzly bears.
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ZOO BRINGS AMAZON TO OREGON
Emerald tree boas, fresh water stingrays, howler monkeys, and colorful toucans can be seen in new state-of-the-art exhibit
Portland, Ore.Beginning this fall, Oregon Zoo visitors can experience a remote jungle in South America without leaving the Pacific Northwest by visiting the zoos new Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit. The new exhibit will be unveiled Saturday, September 29, 2001.
For nearly six months each year torrential rains flood the Amazon basin, transforming it into a watery world, known as the varzea. The varzea is home to some of the planets most extraordinary and diverse plants and animals.
The plants, animals and people there actually thrive when the river is at flood stage, said Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. There are many species of fish, which do most of their feeding during floods, swimming up into the branches of submerged trees to eat the seeds, nuts and fruit. These unique fruit-eating fish take on the role of seed dispersers by passing the seeds from different trees far from where they were consumed, creating new generations of trees when the waters recede.
With their first step into the zoo's Amazon Flooded Forest, visitors will be transported to a world inhabited by stunning emerald tree boas, colorful poison dart frogs and large Brazilian cockroaches. The distinctive songs of paradise tanagers can be heard as they fly from limb to limb in the forest canopy. On a branch nearby, a motmot tries to attract a mate by twitching its long tail from side to side like a metronome. As visitors travel deeper into the Amazon, they'll encounter marmosets, agouti (a friendly rodent the size of a cat), iguanas and rare species of fish, some of which grow as large as seven feet. In the treetops, large beautiful birds such as Swainsons and channel billed toucans perch as they watch the other birds that call the canopy home. Nearby, saki and howler monkeys can be seen grooming and swinging on sturdy vines. Spending much of its day sleeping, the two-toed sloth hangs upside-down on a mossy branch. Just below the vines and tree limbs are deep shadowy pools of water. Here reside fearsome-looking caiman and unusual Amazonian fish, including rarely seen species such as orange spot freshwater stingrays, arawana, heckle discus, Amazon catfish, bucktooth tetras and arapaima. The largest fish are the arapaima, which can grow up to 10 feet and weigh 400 pounds. The Amazon catfish is also impressive, growing to six feet and weighing up to 600 pounds.
The best has been saved for last. In this pool, visitors encounter small fish darting in and out of soft beams of sunlight. The fish are wary because they share their world with the largest predator of the Amazonthe green anaconda. Anaconda can grow up to 30 feet, making it the worlds largest snake. Here visitors enter the anacondas watery world (without getting wet!) and literally come eye to eye with this legendary and elusive snake.
The anaconda is almost mythical, Vecchio said. To see a giant snake like that underwater is unforgettable.
After months of design and construction, the ambitious exhibit will feature several mixed species exhibits and flood the entire front of the exhibit, making it one of the first of its kind at any zoo.
According to Mike Marshall, primate keeper, This is a big departure for us. Well have in this one exhibit the full spectrum of species living in this ecosystem mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. It will really give you a sense of what an Amazon forest is like.
The Amazon Flooded Forest is the first phase of a multi-year renovation of the zoos 40-year-old primate house. Originally built in 1959, the exhibit was last renovated in 1980 to include Chimp Island and several other exhibits.
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Delilah, a female chimpanzee at the Oregon Zoo has been undergoing diagnostic procedures at Oregon Health and Science University over the past several weeks. Zoo veterinarians have been treating the 28-year-old chimp for liver disease for the past two and one-half years.
Primate keepers observed De, as she is affectionately called, exhibiting signs of abdominal pain early last month and alerted zoo veterinarians. An ultrasound was performed at the zoo hospital, but vets needed more specialized diagnostic testing, which is only available at large teaching hospitals such as OHSU. Due to the similarities between humans and primates, doctors at OHSU compared the chimps ultrasound to a human baseline.
Pathologists at OHSU who read the latest round of biopsies from De reported seeing the same abnormality that was seen on prior biopsies.
"This is a non-specific finding," said zoo veterinarian, Mitch Finnegan, "but exactly why she has this problem is still the million dollar question."
In an effort to answer that question, zoo veterinary staff will send biopsy samples to veterinary pathologists specializing in primates as well as physicians who treat liver disease in humans.
Delilah, who was born and raised at the zoo, has formed close bonds with her chimp group and her keepers. In fact, according to senior primate keeper, Dave Thomas, one of her keepers has been with her since she was 6 months old.
"She's very dear to our hearts and we really enjoy interacting with her," said Thomas. "I'm not sure if it's because she's resided here for so many years, or because it's so difficult not to become attached to chimpanzees due to their similarities with humans, or maybe it's just because of De's unique personality. Whatever the reason, we're doing everything possible to make this time easier for her."
Thomas indicates that it is very important for Delilah to remain with the other chimps and to keep their daily routine as normal as possible. Therefore, she has only been separated from her group while being examined. This not only helps De, but also eliminates the stress being separated from each other would cause the entire group.
"She continues to have access to the outdoors and the opportunity to hang out wherever she wants," said Thomas. "This also gives us the chance to assess her behavior. We keep a watchful eye on her day and night."
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Portland, Ore.- The Oregon Zoo's newest exhibit, Steller Cove, has been open for one year, and what a year it's been. The exhibit was launched last July with the expectation that it would be a big hit. And indeed it has been, but it is the residents of the exhibit that have garnered international attention.
On Jan. 3, 2001, nearly six months after Steller Cove opened, marine life keepers arrived at the exhibit to begin what had become their routine. But routine went out the window, as they observed an addition to the sea otter pool. Immediately recognizing they had a rare birth on their hands, marine life keeper quickly went to work to make sure that the pup had every chance to survive. They removed the dad, Eddie to another pool so that the mom, Thelma could nurture and bond with the pup without distraction, then keepers stood back and watched, ready to intervene only if absolutely necessary.
The result is the now famous southern sea otter pup, Oz has the distinction of being the first in the world to be conceived, born, and raised by its mother at a zoo or aquarium. Other southern sea otters have been born in zoos or aquariums but none have survived. Oz made his public debut March 9 with his mother never far way.
"Thelma's been such a great mom," said Karen Rifenbury, marine life keeper. "She deserves a lot of credit for Oz reaching this milestone."
Southern sea otters are an endangered species. Oz's parents were both found stranded when they were infants. They were brought to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program in April 1998 where they were deemed not viable release candidates. Thelma and Eddie came to the zoo when Steller Cove opened.The young sea otter family has been the big draw for the $11 million exhibit, however, it is named for its large Steller sea lions, which inhabit the pool next door. The sea lion area features a 190,000 gallon pool with two islands and rocky, grass-covered cliffs where visitors can view these 1,200-pound animals from above water or through a large, curved window in an underwater grotto. The southern sea otters swim in a 71,000-gallon pool and are visible from above or below water level. Further along, an impressive kelp forest is home to sea stars, urchins, crabs, anemones, sea cucumbers, rockfish, painted greenlings, kelp greenlings, surf perch, cabezon and snails. And at the tide pool, docents share insights about fascinating marine creatures, including sea urchins, anemones, mussels, crabs, sea stars, sculpins, gobies, painted greenlings and gunnels. Nearby, a blowhole set in the rockwork erupts at irregular intervals, spraying lightly salted water into the air.
"We are extremely pleased with the public's response to Steller Cove," said Kathy Kiaunis, zoo deputy director. "The impressive size of the Steller sea lions is often surprising to our visitors and the sea otter's antics are always crowd pleasers. The exhibit has exceeded our expectations, and with the record setting attendance, we couldn't be more pleased," she added.
Steller Cove is the second phase of the zoo's ambitious Great Northwest exhibit, which begins at Cascade Crest Fan alpine habitat with mountain goats, located at the zoo's main entrance. In the future the Great Northwest will also include an Eagle-Salmon exhibit, plus showcase bears, wolverines and other northwest animals nearby. A Family Farm is also in the works featuring a contact area housing domestic animals from a typical Oregon farm as well as rare breeds of farm animals.
The zoo is located five minutes from downtown Portland just off Highway 26 and is also accessible by MAX light rail line. The zoo is open 9 a.m. daily. General admission is $6.50 (12-64), seniors $5 (65+), children $4 (3-11), and children under 3 are free. Additional information is available on the zoo's web site at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.
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