Black Bear Ridge Exhibit
An agile black bear makes his way up a steep slope; another bear
basks lazily in the sun alongside a dry streambed. Nearby, a
pair of bobcats naps in a hollow log. Black Bear Ridge allows
visitors to experience these reclusive animals in their natural
setting. Use your senses and learn how to spot signs of these
animals in the wild. Also, discover how human encroachment is
affecting their habitat and daily lives.
Animals
Black bears, the smallest of the three bear species native to North
America, can reach a length of 6 feet and can weigh up to 600 pounds.
The curious bears can be seen exploring their rugged habitat.
Black Bear Ridge is home to two black bears:
Pete, orphaned near Petersburg, Alaska, is believed to have been born in January 1991.
Gerry, born in the wild in 1987, has returned to the zoo following a
10-year "vacation" in southern Oregon.
Bobcats are part of Black Bear Ridge as well. These cats are twice the size
of an average house cat and are named for their stubby, bobbed tail.
Just like the black bear, bobcats are rarely seen in the wild. However,
as cities expand, more sightings are reported as a result of human
encroachment.
The
bobcat exhibit is home to a pair of siblings, Kajika and Kasa. Kajika
is a male and weighs approximately 26 pounds. He was born in 2000.
Kasa, a 19-pound female, was also born in 2000. Both brother and
sister come from the Maryland Zoo.
Features
Descend into the forest along the Cascade Canyon Trail. Walk across
a 100-foot-long suspension bridge through a forested area where black
bears roam. Along the way, learn how to spot different signs of animals
found in the wild.
Bobcat |
Enter
the covered viewing shelter and discover a cedar carved fence that
depicts children's images of the forest.
In the sheltered area visitors have a perfect chance to see both
species inhabiting Black Bear Ridge. On the left, the bobcat's
water trough entices the shy cats towards the viewing window for
a refreshing drink. On the right, black bears can be seen roaming
their steep, sloped exhibit.
The
walls around the black bear viewing area give visitors an opportunity
to see a year in the life of a black bear. Two life-size cutouts
are used to differentiate a black bear from its close relative, the
grizzly bear.
Just
outside the covered viewing station, a fallen log doubles as a heated
bobcat den and an additional viewing area for the agile cats. As
the temperatures get colder, bobcats seek refuge in the den and visitors
are treated to a nose to nose view. Nearby learning stations teach
visitors to look for signs of bobcats, from scent markings to spotting
tracks and scat.
Visitors enjoying Black Bear Ridge near te suspension bridge and carved fence |
Moving
down through Eagle Canyon and out towards the Trillium Creek Family
Farm there is a second opportunity to view Black Bear Ridge. The
proximity of this covered viewing station to the Family Farm invites
visitors to consider the issue of human encroachment on black bear
habitat. Two flat, heated rocks near a dry stream bed provide a warm
place for the bears to rest, and an extraordinary view for visitors.
Art
Projects
A
beautiful cedar fence, entitled Introduction to the Forest, welcomes
visitors from the Cascade Canyon Trail into the first Black Bear
Ridge viewing station. The 7-foot tall, 27-foot long fence, created
by artist
Steve Jensen, uses images of the forest created by children from
the East Portland Boys & Girls Club. These drawings represent the
children's idea of what makes up a forest. The depictions of flora
and fauna are used to evoke the visitor's tactile senses. Throughout
Black Bear Ridge visitors are encouraged to seek out signs of wildlife
in the forest
using different senses. This cedar fence serves as an introduction
to this theme.
Support
for this artwork comes in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission
and the National Endowment for the Arts, which is a federal agency.
Sponsor
Major
support for Black Bear Ridge and the Cascade Canyon Trail provided
for by the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation.
For
More Information
Black Bear
Bobcat
Great Northwest Exhibit
Press
Releases
Feb. 26, 2007: Oregon Zoo's Crest-To-Coast Adventure Nearly Complete
Feb. 23, 2007: Bears, Bobcats Complete $36-Million
'Great Northwest'
March
5, 2007: Gerry The Black Bear Returns To Rose City After
10-Year 'Vacation'
Video
Gerry Bear returns
to the zoo with a few extra pounds and a fitness plan
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