Science and Research at the Oregon Zoo

The Need to Learn More
Our zoo has in its care some of the world's rarest species, and one of our most important functions is to assure their long term survival. As human encroachment, disease and habitat changes continue to cause the demise of wild populations, it is increasingly important that zoos contribute to the knowledge about and reproduction of animals.

The Oregon Zoo has been a leader for many years in such scientific research studies. Zoo staffers often carry out their own work, or are part of national or international projects involving specific endangered animals that reside at their local zoo.

Current Research
The Zoo presently is engaged in nearly two dozen different scientific studies affecting its inhabitants. Most of them focus on determining how an animal's captive environment will lead to its optimal well-being and successful reproduction. Among them are:

" Behavioral study on douc langers, with a focus on offspring, "Karen". Our zoo is one of only a few to have this species on exhibit. This study is being done in cooperation with the San Diego Zoo.

" Determining the paternity of straw-colored bats through DNA. The study is aimed at finding out which males are breeders and learning more about the relationships of each animal in the bats' social structure.

" Studies of behavioral changes and other indicators of estrus in black rhinos. Knowing such information has allowed zoos to know the optimum time for breeding. Part of the work also involves training the rhinos to permit keepers to take blood samples from them.

" Development of artificial insemination techniques for Asian elephants. In the future, such techniques would allow female elephants at zoos without males to reproduce while giving successful male breeders the opportunities to inseminate a wider range of females. It would also create a sperm bank for zoos throughout the nation.

" The Zoo is also taking part in a multi-zoo study that assesses the environmental relationships of black rhinos and other animals. The focus is on the types of environmental problems that might inhibit breeding of these species, such as size of their enclosure, noise and social relationships.

" Studying infant development and its relationship to adult sexual behavior in chimpanzees.

Zoo Watch Stations
ZOO WATCH stations, where visitors actually assist in the collection of research data for our scientific studies are now in their third year of operation. The series of stations promote learning about the animals as well as about the scientific process.