September
September 30, 2003 - Elephant Seal Marks One Year Anniversary at Oregon Zoo
September 30, 2003 - Endangered Baby Turtles Collected From Columbia Gorge
September 23, 2003 - Zoo Inspires Preschoolers Through Animals
September 22, 2003 - Zoo Introduces New Behind The Scenes Encounters For All
September 17, 2003 - World-renowned Cheetah Expert Lectures At Oregon Zoo
September 16, 2003 - Local School Helps Zoo Save Threatened Butterfly
September 12, 2003 - Zoo Invites Teachers To Free Teacher In-Service Day
September 11, 2003 - Oregon Zoo To Host Multicultural Celebration of Animals
September 10, 2003 - Zoo Rears and Releases Threatened Butterflies on Oregon Coast
September 10, 2003 - It's Back! ZooDoo Once Again Available from the Oregon Zoo
September 9, 2003 - "Wild About Zoos" Partnership Raises $77,770 For Northwest Zoos
September 8, 2003 - Seniors Honored with Free Day at Oregon Zoo
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ELEPHANT SEAL MARKS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AT OREGON ZOO
PORTLAND, Ore. - Mira, the blind elephant seal, is celebrating her first anniversary at the Oregon Zoo on October 2. Due to her blindness, the stranded pinniped was facing euthanasia before the zoo stepped in and gave her a new home.
"Mira has crossed many milestones, including her introduction to a new facility, quarantine, working eagerly with her new caretakers, moving in with the enormous Steller sea lions, molting, re-introduction to the sea lions and exhibit, and continual training challenges," said JoEllen Marshall, senior marine life keeper at the zoo.
Due to the seal's blindness, zookeepers have adjusted their regular feeding and training practices-thinking acoustically rather than visually. When Mira is not being trained, zookeepers toss fish and squid near her facial whiskers so she can easily locate them.
"She's gained about 60 pounds since she arrived," said Marshall.
Zoo guests who visit Mira's exhibit on October 2 may gain a pound or two as they indulge in a limited supply of anniversary cupcakes generously donated by Haggen Food & Pharmacy in Tanasbourne.
Mira, who is believed to be 18-months-old, was found stranded on the Northern California coast shortly after being weaned from her mother. She was taken to the North Coast Marine Mammal Center in Crescent City, Calif. where an examination revealed that her retinas were underdeveloped, and it was determined that she could not be returned to the wild.
According to Chris Pfefferkorn, zoological curator, Mira was facing euthanasia and finding a home in a zoo or aquarium was her only option.
Elephant seals are named for their large noses, which resemble an elephant's trunk. Males begin developing this enlarged nose, or proboscis, at sexual maturity (about three to five years), and it is fully developed by seven to nine years. Adult males may grow to more than 13 feet in length and weigh up to 4,500 pounds. The females are much smaller at 10 feet in length and 1,500 pounds. The northern elephant seal is the second largest seal in the world, after the southern elephant seal.
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ENDANGERED BABY TURTLES COLLECTED FROM COLUMBIA GORGE
Oregon Zoo will raise rare turtles, improving their chances of survival
PORTLAND, Ore.- The Oregon Zoo has collected threatened western pond turtles from the Columbia River Gorge and will be rearing them until they grow large enough to fend for themselves. Once grown, they will be released back into the wild.
Working collaboratively with Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Oregon Zoo "head-starts" newly hatched turtles gathered from wild sites. The turtles are nurtured at both zoos for about 10 months until they grow large enough to avoid being eaten by non-native bullfrogs and large mouth bass.
"Giving young turtles a head-start during the first months of their lives, gives them a real edge," explains Dr. David Shepherdson, Oregon Zoo conservation program scientist. "Woodland Park Zoo and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been working to save Washington's western pond turtles for 13 years. We're glad that we could provide additional assistance in helping save these highly endangered turtles."
The turtles are in trouble due to habitat degradation and disease. The biggest threat, however, is bullfrogs. Found east of the Rockies, this non-indigenous frog has thrived throughout the west, driving pond turtles and a host of other small, vulnerable aquatic species to the brink of extinction.
The newest releases bring the total number of head-started turtles to more than 700. Scientists tracking the released turtles estimate that 95 percent of the turtles released back to the Columbia Gorge have survived.
Some of the juvenile turtles are equipped with radio transmitters before release so biologists can learn more about post-release dispersal, habitat use during active and hibernation periods, and, ultimately, their survival rate.
Each year since the head-starting project was launched, recovery workers take to the field under the supervision of pond turtle expert Kate Slavens to count, trap and fit transmitters on adult female western pond turtles. The female turtles are monitored every two hours during the nesting season in order to determine where they nest. The nests, which the female digs in the ground and then covers after depositing her eggs, are protected with wire "exclosure" cages that help prevent predators from eating the eggs. The eggs are then allowed to incubate naturally, and the hatchlings are collected in the fall. The hatchlings are about the size of a quarter when they are removed and taken to the zoo facilities, where they can grow in safety. After about 10 months, when the juvenile turtles have grown large enough to avoid being eaten by pond predators, they are returned to their birthplace.
Three years ago, one of the first female turtles released in 1990 in the Columbia Gorge laid eggs. The pond turtle, which can live up to 50 years in the wild, takes about 10 years to reach sexual maturity.
In the past few years, the cooperative efforts have brought the pond turtles' numbers in Washington up from a low of 150 in 1990 to nearly 900 today. Now listed as an endangered species in Washington state and a sensitive species in Oregon, the western pond turtle was once common from Baja, California to Puget Sound. The Oregon Zoo's participation in the western pond turtle project is funded through The Oregon Zoo Foundation's Future for Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Oregon Zoo is a service of Metro. The Zoo is committed to conservation with a number of projects aiding local species.
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ZOO INSPIRES PRESCHOOLERS THROUGH ANIMALS
Kids discover education through entertainment with Animals A to Z
PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Zoo puts the thrill back into learning this school year as education staff teach preschoolers about peer cooperation, numbers and shapes with its Animals A to Z program. The program is in its second year. Preschoolers learn about the animals at the zoo while building basic learning skills. Each day is packed with exciting activities that inspire young children to learn, including tours, games and art projects.
"Classes incorporate early childhood education activities such as number and letter recognition, colors and shapes, listening skills and cooperative play, while exploring the magnificent animals and just having fun," said Rex Ettlin, program coordinator. "The first goal is to develop animal appreciation with these classes."
Each week of classes features a new topic, corresponding with a letter of the alphabet. For example, the opening week in September was Amazing Tidepools for the letter A. The first week in October picks up with the letter D, featuring the class Dashing Giraffe, Zebra & Kudu. Children learn why these animals look so cool with their spots, stripes, long necks and horns. Another class, Fun and Furry Bears, teaches children about the zoo's grizzly, polar and sun bears, and how each survives in very different climates.
The program, held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during the school year (through mid-June). Each two-hour class begins at 10 a.m. and ends at noon.
Fees for each one-day class are $23 for one child and one adult and $11.50 for each additional child. Members of the zoo receive a discount.
For further information or a registration form, visit the zoo's Web site at www.oregonzoo.org, or call 503-220-2781. Registration must be received at least one week in advance of class date.
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ZOO INTRODUCES NEW BEHIND THE SCENES ENCOUNTERS FOR ALL
Zoo Gets Participants Even Closer to Animals!
PORTLAND, Ore. - Have you ever wanted to monkey around with primates? Play hide and seek with polar bears? Make toys for an elephant? You can this fall as the Oregon Zoo continues its popular Behind the Scenes Encounters program.
"People love going behind the scenes to see what only a select few get to see," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Going behind closed doors helps reveal some of the mysteries of being a zookeeper."
Get a one-of-a-kind insider's glimpse into animal life that only zookeepers experience. Zoo educators and keepers familiarize you with the animals' enclosures, feedings, habits and more. Some tours even have hands on encounters with the animals.
"These experiences are memorable for both people and the animals," said April Yoder, senior elephant keeper. "Many of the animals at the zoo, especially the elephants, need mental stimulation. These tours are great for keeping the animals thinking. They're also great for the public because they get to see how intelligent the animals really are."
The Oregon Zoo offers a variety of different tours for every interest level. The fall tours are broken into two distinct categories:
Three Paw Tours give the public the most intimate access to the animals and include:
· Hospital Encounter-Sunday, October 5
Have you ever wondered what to do for a snake with a broken rib or an elephant with arthritis? Tour the zoo's animal hospital with Veterinarian Lisa Harrenstein and learn about the challenges of caring for some of the zoo's more exotic residents.
· Giraffe Encounter-Saturday, November 15
Visit with the tallest animals around and learn about some of the challenges of working with the zoo's two story residents. Discover how they get their nails done and what it takes to give them their shots. You can even give them their morning treats.
· Elephant Encounter-Saturday, December 6
Take an in-depth adventure into the home of the big and gray. Meet some of the zoo's large friends close up and see how they spend their day. Watch one pachyderm get a giant size pedicure. Get an up close photo of you and your new elephant friend to take home with you!
Three Paw Tours require pre-registration and are open once a month to participants 16 and older. Tours will accommodate 15 participants. The cost is $85 for members and $100 for non-members; price includes admission. To reserve a space, call 503-220-2781.
Two Paw Tours take visitors behind the scenes with zookeepers to discover what it takes to care for zoo animals. Two Paw Tours include:
· Primate Encounter-Saturday, October 18
Visit with two species of African monkeys. Discover how the swamp and colobus monkeys can share an exhibit without getting in each other's way.
· Endangered Species Encounter-Sunday, October 19
The zoo works hard to save native species. Have a close encounter with threatened western pond turtles and discover how the zoo is helping other threatened and endangered creatures like the Oregon silverspot butterfly, Washington pygmy rabbit and California condor.
· Bear Encounter-Saturday, November 1
Bears come in many sizes and colors; meet the smallest and largest, one black, and one white. Learn about the sun bear's special adaptations for life in the tropics, and what polar bears do to survive on the ice. Also, hide some treats in the exhibits and watch the bears search for your treats!
· Elephant Enrichment Encounter-Sunday, November 23
How do you keep the world's largest land animal active? Give them toys! Join the zookeepers as they create toys for the pachyderms. Put out toys and treats that encourage the elephants to use their mind and very strong bodies. Watch how your toys hold up to the weight of an elephant!
Two Paw Tours accommodate 15 participants and require advanced registration. Cost is $34 for members and $40 for non-members; the price includes admission.To reserve a space, call (503) 220-2781.
Gift certificates for Behind the Scenes Encounters are also available. The Oregon Zoo web site, located at www.oregonzoo.org, contains more information regarding Behind the Scenes Encounters.
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WORLD-RENOWNED CHEETAH EXPERT LECTURES AT OREGON ZOO
PORTLAND, Ore.- Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) Director Laurie Marker, a world-renowned cheetah expert and Time magazine's Heroes for the Planet award recipient, will lecture at the Oregon Zoo's Cascade Crest Banquet Center, Sunday, Oct. 19 at 12:30 p.m. and again at 2 p.m. Marker will be joined by Kamau and Kgosi, two beautiful cheetahs from Leopards Etc. Kgosi is an extremely rare king cheetah, one of approximately 30 king cheetahs on earth.
Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio has great respect for Marker. "Laurie Marker is internationally recognized for her tireless efforts to save the cheetah," said Vecchio. "She is the leader in cheetah conservation and has a great understanding that saving cheetahs doesn't work without a comprehensive approach. I look forward to hearing her speak about her important work."
The lecture will focus on the decline of cheetahs-there are only 12,000 cheetahs remaining in the wild-and efforts to save this threatened cat. Marker will share stories of cheetahs she has come to know, including a new cheetah cub that was born recently at the Cincinnati Zoo. The cub was born from one of 10 cheetahs that were given to the United States in 2001 from the government of Namibia, as part of an effort to breed cheetahs in captivity to strengthen the gene pool.
Marker will also discuss innovative ways CCF is helping farmers protect their livestock from cheetah predation. Farmers often kill cheetahs to protect livestock. In an effort to prevent cheetah shootings, CCF trained guard dogs to protect farm animals from predators. The dogs bond with herds of goats, sheep, cattle, scaring away cheetahs. CCF trains the dogs, then gives them to farmers at no cost. Presently more than 130 dogs work on Namibian livestock farmland.
In addition, Marker will talk about bush encroachment, a major problem for both the Namibian economy and the cheetah. Overgrown brush makes it difficult for cheetahs to hunt, and thorns can seriously injure the cats, even blind them. Farmers experiencing economic hardship due to bush encroachment are less likely to tolerate livestock predation by cheetahs. CCF hopes to harvest bush and build and manage a plant to process the bush into fuel logs and wood chips. New small businesses will harvest the bush, helping restore cheetah habitat, while contributing to the Namibian economy. The restored habitat will provide grazing lands for wildlife and cattle. CCF hopes this model partnership between business and conservation organizations will illustrate that conservation can be self-sustaining.
Marker co-founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in 1990, locating CCF in Namibia, Africa, where the largest population of wild cheetahs (approximately 3,000) can be found. Twenty-five years ago Marker began working with cheetahs at Wildlife Safari, in Winston, Oregon. She still considers Oregon her home.
The lectures, which are sponsored by the Cheetah Conservation Fund, will be held on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the zoo's Cascade Banquet Center. Tickets are $8 general admission, $6 students, seniors and zoo members, and are available at the zoo reception office during regular business hours. Zoo admission is not included in the price of the lecture ticket, however zoo admission is not required to enter the Cascade Banquet Center. Further information on the lecture, or the Cheetah Conservation Fund may be obtained by calling Teresa Delaney at 503-675-1292.
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LOCAL SCHOOL HELPS ZOO SAVE THREATENED BUTTERFLY
Oregon silverspot butterfly is on the brink of extinction, but local students are helping bring it back.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, fifth graders from Portland's Markham Elementary will tour the Oregon Zoo's new butterfly conservation lab to see threatened Oregon silverspot butterflies for the first time-and learn about how their school project is helping save these delicate creatures. Last fall Markham students planted western blue violet (Viola adunca) seeds, a rare plant vital for the Oregon silverspot's survival.
The zoo recently released 293 butterfly pupae at the 280-acre Cascade Head Preserve, north of Lincoln City, in hopes of stabilizing the declining population. The zoo is collecting eggs from female silverspot butterflies to ensure the continuation of the captive-rearing program. Markham students will observe this process.
"This conservation effort is serving as a model for rebuilding an ecosystem," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "We want to involve children in the protection of endangered butterflies so they care about the future of all plants and animals."
Through the combined efforts of Markham students, as well as Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, Nature Conservancy, Washington State Fish and Wildlife, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the zoo hopes to stabilize the butterfly population and bring it back from the brink of extinction.
The zoo's butterfly-rearing program was greatly enhanced this year with the completion of state-of-the-art butterfly lab. A $16,100 grant from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) enabled the zoo to create the conservation facility for raising threatened caterpillars and chrysalises.
"The Oregon Zoo is nationally renowned for its butterfly conservation program," according to Ruth Allard, coordinator of the Butterfly Conservation Initiative, a coalition founded by AZA and USFWS. "The new lab should enable the zoo to enhance and expand its efforts."
The Oregon silverspot butterfly is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It was once found in coastal grasslands from northern California to southern Washington, but has disappeared from all but a handful of sites along the Oregon coast due to habitat loss and the disappearance of its host plant, the western blue violet.
During the preceding decade, monitoring at Cascade Head revealed a dramatic decline in the number of butterflies seen flying. In years prior to 1992, average numbers exceeded 1,000 adults, but in 1998, only 57 of the butterflies were found.
In 1999, in response to the dramatic decline in the butterfly population, the Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, The Nature Conservancy, Washington State Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and others took action to save the threatened species and its habitat.
Each year, female silverspot butterflies are collected from Cascade Head and induced to lay eggs at the Oregon Zoo's butterfly-breeding facility. This year, the butterflies have laid more than 700 eggs. The eggs are collected daily, and put into petri dishes where they hatch into tiny larvae.
"Each larva is only about two millimeters long," said Mary Jo Andersen, butterfly keeper. "When you observe them under a microscope, you can see that they are a perfect miniature caterpillar."
Currently, The Nature Conservancy, working collaboratively with US Forest Service, is restoring the native butterfly habitat through small, controlled burns. Scientists hope that by bringing back the western blue violet-which silverspot caterpillars depend on for food-the butterfly population can return to its historic numbers and ranges.
"Our cooperative conservation efforts are being seen more and more as part of the new zoo ethic," said Andersen. "It's becoming quite common for zoos to work outside their traditional captive programs to aid in the protection of species in their natural habitat."
The zoo will soon begin breeding the endangered Fender's blue butterfly, which is native to Willamette Valley grasslands. Fender's blue caterpillar feeds only on one host plant known as the Kincaid's lupine, which is also endangered. Like the western blue violet for the Oregon silverspot butterfly, the endangered Kincaid's lupine will also be raised at the zoo.
According to Vecchio, butterfly populations throughout North America are in decline with 22 butterfly species listed as either endangered or threatened. To address this problem, the Oregon Zoo has supported the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's (AZA) Butterfly Conservation Initiative, which includes nearly 50 national zoos and aquariums. The Initiative is designed to bring together government and non-government agencies to aid in the recovery of imperiled North American butterflies.
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ZOO INVITES TEACHERS TO FREE TEACHER IN-SERVICE DAY
Teachers are invited to go behind the scenes at the Oregon Zoo and gather teaching resources and inspiration from the animals during the zoo's FREE Teacher In-Service Day, Friday, October 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The highlight of the day is the chance to see the zoo from the other side of the glass.
Teachers can to go behind the scenes for a preview of the new Behind the Scenes program that allows passage through the "keepers only" door. This sneak preview showcases two of the five areas teachers can visit with their own class, including Steller Cove and the Rhino and Giraffe facilities.
"Once teachers experience zoo animals firsthand, they will take these experiences back to the classroom and share their knowledge of animals with their students," says Roger Yerke, zoo education manager.
Teachers can participate in two of six workshops. Each workshop is geared toward different grade levels. For example, Suitcase for Survival, (grades 5-12) explores a hands-on discovery kit that features bones, pelts and confiscated animal items. The kit focuses on the importance of stewardship of endangered species and the challenges these species face from illegal poaching. Once teachers have attended the workshop, they can borrow the kit free of charge.
Other workshops like Caring For Animals in Your Classroom (grades pre K-12) includes some hands-on animal care activities. Another new workshop this year is Catch Kids with Critters - Animals in Early Childhood Education (grades pre K-2), which will teach new strategies in capturing the attention of young children.
"Past workshop participants have enjoyed our hands-on approach to science," says Yerke. "Teachers learn about the importance of conservation and the nature of science-its strengths, weaknesses and surprises."
In addition to meeting the zoo's education staff, teachers can meet with educators from the Oregon Garden, Forest Discovery Center, the Children's Museum and 20 other nature-based organizations-and pick up FREE curriculum.
Teachers can receive a 10 percent discount on all educational material at the Cascade Outfitters gift shop, including books, puzzles, videos and computer software.
For more information or to register for the Oregon Zoo's FREE Teacher In-Service Day, Friday, October 10, please call 503-220-2781 or e-mail mcdowellj@metro.dst.or.us. Advanced registration is required as space is limited. Log on to www.oregonzoo.org/education for more information and a registration form.
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OREGON ZOO TO HOST MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATION OF ANIMALS
World Animal Festival at the Oregon Zoo is a multicultural celebration of animals, showcasing how animals have been feared, revered and celebrated throughout the world.
The event, presented by the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation for six straight years, is slated for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 and 21, then again on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27 and Sept. 28. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and are free with zoo admission. This year, the event's focus is on the animals and cultures of Africa.
The zoo houses many African animals, like rhinos, giraffes, zebras, meerkats, primates and many more. Indicators at each endangered species will highlight conservation projects in the countries that are home to these animals, and what the public can do to protect these animals in the wild.
"It is Weyerhaeuser's pleasure again this year to invite families from Oregon and southwest Washington to this fun and educational event," said Nancy Arend, vice president for Weyerhaeuser's packaging business and a member of the Oregon Zoo's board of directors. "For Weyerhaeuser, protecting wildlife habitat is key to our sustainable forestry and sustainable business practices. This event is a perfect fit for us in that it celebrates wildlife diversity, and what we can do collectively to sustain wildlife populations around the world."
Throughout the festival's two weekends, local cultural groups will present their versions of animal folklore to zoo guests in a variety of ways, including art and craft exhibits, storytelling, performance art, and live music. The Multicultural Resource Center will bring their exhibits on zoo grounds and provide information on a variety of cultures. In addition, activity areas around zoo grounds will feature take-home crafts, games, educational activities and interactive displays. Several African animals will receive special enrichment activities and treats.
Some weekend activities include:
· Entertainment by Chata Addy and Chinese Lion Dancers
· Cultural arts and crafts and demonstrations, including Middle Eastern Mosaics, Ukranian Egg Decorating, Photography show of animals and people of Tanzania and cultural dance workshop.
· African insects
· Photo-ops with our costumed characters
· Cheetah running race
· Practice skills as a Carmine bee-eater
· Sunday, Sept. 28, join the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership's Kids for the Columbia Jubilee at the zoo's Elephant Plaza.
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ZOO REARS AND RELEASES THREATENED BUTTERFLIES ON OREGON COAST
Oregon silverspot butterfly is on the brink of extinction, but zoo and The Nature Conservancy hope to bring it back
PORTLAND, Ore.-The Oregon Zoo is rearing endangered Oregon silverspot butterflies in its new conservation lab. The zoo recently released butterfly pupae at the 280-acre Cascade Head Preserve, north of Lincoln City, in hopes of stabilizing the declining population. The zoo also collected eggs from female silverspot butterflies to ensure the continuation of the captive-rearing program.
"This conservation effort is serving as a model for rebuilding an ecosystem," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "Through the combined efforts of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, Nature Conservancy, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, we hope to stabilize the butterfly population and bring it back from the brink of extinction."
The zoo's butterfly-rearing program was greatly enhanced this year with the completion of state-of-the-art butterfly lab. A $16,100 grant from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) enabled the zoo to create the conservation facility for raising threatened caterpillars and chrysalises.
"The Oregon Zoo is nationally renowned for its butterfly conservation program," according to Ruth Allard, coordinator of the Butterfly Conservation Initiative, a coalition founded by AZA and USFWS. "The new lab should enable the zoo to enhance and expand its efforts."
The Oregon silverspot butterfly is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It was once found in coastal grasslands from northern California to southern Washington, but has disappeared from all but a handful of sites along the Oregon coast due to habitat loss and the disappearance of its host plant, the western blue violet.
During the preceding decade, monitoring at Cascade Head revealed a dramatic decline in the number of butterflies seen flying. In years prior to 1992, average numbers exceeded 1,000 adults, but in 1998, only 57 of the butterflies were found.
In 1999, in response to the dramatic decline in the butterfly population, the Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, The Nature Conservancy, Washington State Fish and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and others took action to save the threatened species and its habitat.
Each year, female silverspot butterflies are collected from Cascade Head and induced to lay eggs at the Oregon Zoo's butterfly-breeding facility. This year, the butterflies have laid more than 700 eggs. The eggs are collected daily, and put into petri dishes where they hatch into tiny larvae.
"Each larva is only about two millimeters long," said Mary Jo Andersen, butterfly keeper. "When you observe them under a microscope, you can see that they are a perfect miniature caterpillar."
Currently, The Nature Conservancy, working collaboratively with US Forest Service, is restoring the native butterfly habitat through small, controlled burns. Scientists hope that by bringing back the western blue violet-which silverspot caterpillars depend on for food-the butterfly population can return to its historic numbers and ranges.
"Our cooperative conservation efforts are being seen more and more as part of the new zoo ethic," said Andersen. "It's becoming quite common for zoos to work outside their traditional captive programs to aid in the protection of species in their natural habitat."
The zoo will soon begin breeding the endangered Fender's Blue butterfly, which is native to Willamette Valley grasslands. Fender's Blue caterpillar feeds only on one host plant known as the Kincaid's lupine, which is also endangered. Like the blue violet for the Oregon silverspot butterfly, the endangered Kincaid's lupine will also be raised at the zoo.
According to Vecchio, butterfly populations throughout North America are in decline with 22 butterfly species listed as either endangered or threatened. To address this problem, the Oregon Zoo has supported the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's (AZA) Butterfly Conservation Initiative, which includes nearly 50 national zoos and aquariums. The Initiative is designed to bring together government and non-government agencies to aid in the recovery of imperiled North American butterflies.
Zoo visitors can learn more about endangered and threatened butterfly species at the zoo's Winged Wonders exhibit, open through September 14. The butterfly exhibit is open daily at 9:30 a.m. and admission to the exhibit is $2 fee. A portion of the proceeds from the butterfly exhibit helps fund the zoo's butterfly education and conservation efforts.
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IT'S BACK! ZOODOO ONCE AGAIN AVAILABLE FROM THE OREGON ZOO
PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland area gardeners may once again purchase loads of rich, multi-species feces known as ZooDoo from the Oregon Zoo. The zoo's Asian elephants, including Oregon Zoo's most famous resident, Packy as well as other herbivores work around the clock, year 'round to produce the ZooDoo.
According to the zoo's horticulture supervisor Linda Richardson, to reap mounds of the richest, most exotic and highly aromatic compost in the Pacific Northwest in time for spring gardening, purchasers need only allow the pungent piles of poop to continue to compost through the winter.
"We use ZooDoo to keep our zoo gardens lush and beautiful," said Richardson. "We've got more than enough, so we're willing to share."
The zoo has teamed up with Best Buy Landscape Supplies, which will deliver a 12-yard dump-truck load to anyone's home, garden, or farm for $149.
"The cost is very economical compared to other compost, which run between $250 and $480 for the same size load," said Richardson. "And none of them contain any genuine Packy poop."
To arrange for delivery, call Best Buy Landscape Supplies at 503-645-6665.
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"WILD ABOUT ZOOS" PARTNERSHIP RAISES $77,770 FOR NORTHWEST ZOOS
Seattle-based HomeStreet Bank recently contributed a total of $77,770 to Northwest zoos through its "Wild About Zoos" partnership with Oregon Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo. The Oregon Zoo received $20,140 to support its education and conservation programs, including efforts to save endangered western pond turtles, Washington pygmy rabbits and Oregon silverspot butterflies.
Through "Wild About Zoos," HomeStreet Bank donated $10 to Northwest zoos for every new bank account, mortgage, loan, and insurance policy opened between May 1 and July 31, 2003. HomeStreet generated 7,777 new accounts in that time, which included 2,014 accounts in the Portland area. As a result, the minimum financial commitment of $40,000 to the three zoos nearly doubled.
This is the second year of "Wild About Zoos." Last year, HomeStreet contributed $54,780 to Northwest zoos through the program.
"We're very pleased that HomeStreet Bank has continued their support of our conservation and education programs," says Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "Their generosity helps fund programs that save many endangered and threatened species."
HomeStreet Bank's tradition of community involvement dates from its early years, taking the form of community leadership, volunteerism, and charitable contributions. Each year, HomeStreet contributes 2 percent of its annual pre-tax profits to organizations in its communities. The "Wild About Zoos" partnership is a major element of the bank's corporate focus on parks and open spaces.
The Oregon Zoo's mission is to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. As the largest paid attraction in the state of Oregon, the zoo is an effective tool for educating the public about the value of environmental and cultural preservation for all living things. Special promotions, such as "Wild About Zoos," help fund the zoo's conservation efforts and its environmental stewardship message.
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SENIORS HONORED WITH FREE DAY AT OREGON ZOO
Providence Health Plans presents a special day at the zoo for seniors
PORTLAND, Ore.-Seniors, and others eligible for Medicare, plus one companion can "freely" roam the zoo during the 28th annual Senior Safari, Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsored by Providence Health Plans, with support from Sunny 1520 AM, Senior Safari has been planned with seniors in mind.
Seniors can begin their day at the zoo with complimentary coffee and donuts (while supplies last).
Special activities and entertainment throughout the day include free train rides, animal chats, animal feedings, pygmy goat petting zoo, bird displays, as well as dancing and vocal ensembles. Reasonably priced lunch options will also be available.
Providence Home and Community Services will provide wheelchairs free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis. Numbers are limited, so persons needing a wheelchair are urged to bring their own if possible. Volunteers will be available to assist with wheelchair navigation.
Representatives from Providence Medicare Extra Ambassadors, Providence Rehabilitation Services, Providence Health Plans, Providence Health System and Oregon ZooGuides will help with the day's activities.
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