September
2003
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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October | November | December
September
30, 2003
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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September
30, 2003
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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September
23, 2003
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.
Back
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September
22, 2003
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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September
17, 2003
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.
Back
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September
16, 2003
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.
Back
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September
12, 2003
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.
Back
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September
11, 2003
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.
Back
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September
10, 2003
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.
Back
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September
10, 2003
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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September
9, 2003
"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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September
8, 2003
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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