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January 31, 2005
ZOO SLATES SPRING BEHIND THE SCENES ENCOUNTERS
Zoo introduces spring animal encounters, featuring animals from tigers to sea otters

PORTLAND Ore. - Animal lovers who have ever dreamed of working at a zoo can get one step closer through programs at the Oregon Zoo. Behind the Scenes Encounters provide guests with an insider's glimpse into the lives of the zoo's most interesting inhabitants.

Explore areas not normally accessible to the public and learn about the animals directly from zoo staff. Some encounters even offer hands-on activities with the animals, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Many of the encounters involve helping with the Oregon Zoo's innovative and internationally renowned animal enrichment program. Enrichment is designed to keep the animals mentally and physically active, just as they are in the wild.

"Enrichment activities are designed to keep animals moving and thinking-and they're a blast to watch," says Charis Henrie, education program coordinator.

Behind the Scenes Encounters are enriching for the visitors as well, by creating an appreciation for animals through one-of-a-kind experiences. Participants learn about the animals through personal interactions. Encounter offerings change quarterly, so there is always something new to see and do at the zoo.

VIP BEHIND THE SCENES ENCOUNTERS

Spend 90 minutes with zookeepers, getting close and personal with zoo animals-a fun way to help fund the Oregon Zoo and its programs. Prices are $85 for zoo members and $100 for non-members. VIP Encounter participants must be 14 or over.

Elephant VIP Encounter, Saturday February 12, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. The zoo's herd is the most prolific in the country. Come meet some famous residents up close and learn how the Oregon Zoo has contributed significantly to the captive breeding of elephants for more than 40 years!

Steller Cove VIP Encounter, Saturday June 18, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Join marine life staff for a training session with the sea otters, sea lions, and Mira the elephant seal. Learn what "seat," "move up," and "water" mean in seal terms. Wear beach shoes, as visitors sometimes get wet.

BEHIND THE SCENES ENCOUNTERS

Get a chance to visit "staff only" areas around the zoo and see exhibits from the other side of the railing. Learn how animal care staff keep animals happy and healthy. Questions are answered during the one-hour tour as guests discover the rewards and challenges of caring for wild animals. Behind the Scenes Encounters are for guests ages 12 and up. Prices are $34 for zoo members and $40 for non-members.

Penguins Encounter, Sunday February 13, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. It's spring at the zoo and once again time for penguin breeding season, as featured on Animal Planet's "Growing Up Penguin." Meet Mochica and some of the other residents as they prepare for nesting season.

Birds Encounter, Saturday April 9, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Come learn about the zoo's feathered friends. Learn what it takes to care for animals smaller than your hand or as tall as a person. Get a chance to see some of the zoo's most colorful and energetic residents up close, and give them their morning treats.

Wolves Encounter, Saturday May 7, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.  Visit with the zoo's pack. Learn some of the similarities wolves share with dogs. Visitors also discover some of the BIG differences between wolves and Fido. Join zookeepers as they prepare and hide treats around the exhibit.

Penguins Encounter, Sunday May 15, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Spring has passed-the chicks have hatched. Visitors have a chance to see some of the penguinarium's youngest residents. See why the Oregon Zoo has one of the most successful breeding programs for Humbolt penguins, as featured on Animal Planet's "Growing Up Penguin." Meet Mochica, the penguin with personality.

Primates Encounter, Saturday June 4, 10 a.m. - 11a.m. Orangutans, mandrills, and chimps, oh my! Primates come in many sizes and shapes. Get a chance to learn about many of the primates that live here at the zoo and see the exhibits from their point of view. Visitors even get a chance to create an enrichment treat, then see how zoo animals use their hands (and feet) to get at the tasty snacks.

Grizzly Encounter, Sunday June 12, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. How do zookeepers help one of the largest carnivores in North America stay active? Environmental enrichment is the key. Visitors and zookeepers help keep the grizzly bear mentally and physically active by hiding delicious treats around the exhibit. Then stand back, and watch what happens!

FAMILY ENCOUNTERS

Behind the Scenes Family Encounters allow children 8-13 (accompanied by an adult) to go behind closed doors to meet staff. During the hour tour, guests discover the rewards and challenges of caring for wild animals. Member prices for family encounters are $50 for two people and $25 for each additional person. Non-member prices are $60 for two people and $30 for each additional person.

Bears Family Encounter, Saturday March 19, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Zoo polar bears and sun bears don't hibernate, but just like people, they get moving as the weather gets better. Come make some treats for the biggest and smallest bears in the world. Learn who prefers fish and who would rather eat fruit. Stay at the zoo and enjoy all the other bear related activities at Bear Fair.

Primates Family Encounter, Saturday April 9, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Hang on for a really fun time! Learn how monkeys and apes forage for food, play together, and live at the zoo. Join keepers as they create piñatas filled with treats for the zoo's primate friends to play with.

Elephant Painting Family Encounter, Sunday May 1, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Join the elephants as they finger paint just like a kid. The only difference is their "finger" is on the end of their trunk! Get a chance to watch Rama up close as he creates his newest masterpiece. Visitors can even get a piece of original elephant art (frame not included).

Sea Otter Family Encounter, Sunday May 22, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. There are not many animals cuter than sea otters. What most people don't realize is they are clever, agile creatures that love to have fun. Help make treats for Thelma, Eddie and Oz, and watch the fun begin!

Felines Family Encounter, Saturday June 25, 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.  What do tigers and your cat Fluffy have in common? More than you might think. Join zoo staff and discover how tigers, leopards, and house cats share some common traits, and have some BIG differences. Help hide some treats around the exhibit and see how zoo cats play just like house cats. (NOTE: special time 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.)

For more information please visit www.oregonzoo.org or call 503-220-2781.  Gift certificates for Behind the Scenes Encounters are also available.

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January 25, 2005
IT'S HEDGEHOG DAY AT THE OREGON ZOO

PORTLAND, Ore. - Pennsylvania's "Punxsutawney Phil" and Canada's "Wiarton Willie" may be better known, but at the Oregon Zoo, it's the hedgehog that predicts a prolonged winter or an early spring.

Metro President David Bragdon will oversee the hedgehog festivities in the zoo's entry plaza on February 2 at 10 a.m. Zoo volunteers will assist with the hedgehog's emergence. Will a shadow be cast, or will Portland enjoy an early spring?

" The groundhog is a relative newcomer to the prognosticating game," commented Bragdon. "Historically, the hedgehog was used in this centuries-old European tradition, but immigrants to North America discovered there were no hedgehogs in their new homeland. They substituted the groundhog, but being purists, we're going back to the original critter."

Zoo visitors can take home their very own hedgehog. Cascade Outfitters, the zoo's gift shop, will feature hedgehog merchandise during Hedgehog Day.

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus #63 to the Oregon Zoo. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive 50 cents off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

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January 21, 2005
ZOO FEATURES WOMEN IN CONSERVATION DURING WILDLIFE LECTURE SERIES

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Oregon Zoo begins its 2005 Wildlife Lecture Series this spring highlighting Women in Wildlife Conservation Science. The zoo welcomes women who have explored treetop habitats in hot-air balloons, navigated remote rivers in the Russian wilderness, explored the dense forests of Papua New Guinea, and discovered how environmental changes affect primates in the shadow of Kilimanjaro.

On February 22 Dr. Xanthippe Augerot (pronounced Zan-thi-pee Au-ju-row), will present her lecture, Conserving Salmon from Korea to California. As director of the Wild Salmon Center, Augerot has facilitated relationships with researchers in Russia, Japan, Canada, and the United States. Augerot's investigation of people's knowledge regarding fish has led to a greater understanding and management of salmon globally as well as in Oregon. As co-director of an endeavor to foster better salmon information and management, Augerot's research will be of particular interest to those active in the conservation of salmon populations in Oregon and the North Pacific.

On March 29 Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, "Queen of the Forest Canopy," will share her intimate experiences of both temperate and tropical rainforests in a lecture titled, Exploring the World of Rainforest Canopies. Here she will provide an inner glimpse of the inhabitants and composition of rainforest canopies worldwide, which she has been fortunate enough to witness from hot-air balloons, construction cranes, mountain climbing and more. Nadkarni has been accompanied by numerous people in her adventures, including prisoners, artists, legislators, and loggers.

On April 26 Dr. Lisa Dabek will share her firsthand experiences with tree kangaroos in her lecture, Saving Tree Kangaroos in Papua New Guinea. Dabek has worked in Papua New Guinea with tree kangaroos since 1996. She founded the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, which is a community-based approach that helps local landowners conserve forests for tree kangaroos and dozens of other unique species. Her lecture will feature photos of tree kangaroos and people who strive to protect their habitat.

On May 24 Princeton Professor Jeanne Altmann will present the final lecture of the series, Primates in the Shadow of Kilimanjaro. Her interest and research in primates dates back to 1963. Altmann has literally written the book on studying primates in the wild. Her observations have exposed new complexities in the societies of these amazing animals. Her most recent studies focus on environmental changes and their effect on baboons, with emphasis on how to conserve both the baboons as well as their unique ecosystem.

The series is presented by Pro Photo Supply with additional support from David Evans and Associates, Portland General Electric and Southwest Airlines. Hosts for the series are Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Zoo, and World Forestry Center. Lectures will be held in the Oregon Zoo's Banquet Center and begin at 7 p.m. Cost for each lecture: $10 for non-members, $8 for members of host organizations, students or seniors. Cost for season tickets for four-lecture series: $36 for non-members, $28 for members of host organizations, students, or seniors.

The motivation for this series is the hope that community knowledge will be raised in the areas of wildlife conservation, environmental problems, and ecological systems.

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January 13, 2005
ZOO RECEIVES $57,000 TO SAVE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED WASHINGTON RABBITS
Endangered California condors make room for Washington pygmy rabbits at off-site conservation facility 

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Oregon Zoo has received $57,000 in support from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to build a conservation center for the smallest known rabbit in the world, the endangered pygmy rabbit. The agreement with WDFW will also provide appropriate staff training and veterinary care for the pygmy rabbits. The Metro-owned facility in Clackamas County allows for the rabbits to be reared in a quiet setting, which scientists hope will boost their reproductive success.

The new facility, located on the grounds of the Condor Creek Conservation Facility, currently houses 13 California condors, including the first condor hatched in Oregon in more than 100 years. Now 20 pygmy rabbits also live in the off-site holding facility.  

The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits were listed as critically endangered in Washington in 1993. However, by 2001 this pygmy rabbit population, found only in Washington, had drastically plummeted to less than 40 individuals. The Oregon Zoo and the WDFW, in conjunction with Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. and Northwest Trek in Eatonville, Wash., removed 20 pygmy rabbits from the wild and began an emergency captive breeding program. These organizations are working hard to ensure the survival of this elusive species.

In 2001, the Oregon Zoo became the first zoo in the country to successfully breed pygmy rabbits in captivity. Zoo Director Tony Vecchio stated, "In the past, zoos have spread their conservation efforts all over the world, particularly in tropical areas. While these efforts have been extremely important, there has been a tendency to ignore our own backyards. At the Oregon Zoo, we feel that efforts in our own region will prove to be the most effective way to engage our visitors and constituents in conservation actions."

In 2003, the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits received federal endangered species status. In the winter the tiny rabbits' diet is almost exclusively sagebrush in the wild, but they also eat grasses and herbs in the spring. At the zoo they are given sagebrush and rabbit pellets, supplemented with timothy and alfalfa hay, as well as parsley, dandelion leaves and various other greens. Habitat destruction, predation, and brush fires have all contributed to the pygmy rabbits' dwindling numbers in the wild.  

The new facilities have plastic tubing that allows the rabbits to hide underground as they do in the wild. However, there is no dirt or sand in the rabbits' immediate area. Researchers have been concerned about the bacteria that are frequently found in these commonly used substrates. Disease transmission is high and reducing this can be a critical factor in keeping the pygmy rabbits healthy.  
In 2004, the Oregon Zoo pygmy rabbits gave birth to 28 kits. Ten of these survived. Survival rate in the wild is 10 to 20 percent, with most of the mortality coming from predation once the kits reach maturity and disperse from the nest.

Web visitors can see video of the rare rabbits and learn more about the zoo's conservation efforts by visiting http://www.oregonzoo.org/Newsroom/video.htm#rabbit

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January 5, 2005
ZOO SEEKS HORTICULTURE VOLUNTEERS
Train to be a ZooGuide Gardener  

PORTLAND, Ore.-Do you have a green thumb, enjoy outdoor work, and want to learn more about butterfly gardening?  Are you interested in native plants, exotic plants, or creating a garden that is attractive to wildlife? The Oregon Zoo's ZooGuide Gardener program is offering an orientation and training for volunteers to work with zoo horticulturists this spring.  

The ZooGuide Gardener orientation begins Thursday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. or Wednesday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. ZooGuide Gardener training is slated for five Saturdays, beginning February 5 and running through March 5.

ZooGuide Gardeners may be involved in:   

*   Creating a butterfly garden

*   Maintaining geographic gardens

*   Enhancing animal environments

*   Building new exhibit garden features

*   Plant conservation and education

Oregon Zoo's Horticulture Department is a member of the Association of Zoological Horticulture, and as a member is dedicated to the promotion of plant and animal conservation and the advancement of horticulture throughout the region.

ZooGuide Gardeners must be over the age of 18 and commit to 16 hours per month between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The greatest need is during weekdays. ZooGuide Gardeners have an opportunity to make a difference in the community by supporting the zoo's efforts to educate the public about plant and animal conservation.  Volunteers meet people who share similar interests and values, receive free zoo admission and can participate in unique training opportunities only available at the zoo.  

ZooGuide training is a prerequisite for horticulture volunteers. A mandatory orientation session is being held Thursday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. or Wednesday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. Five Saturdays of required ZooGuide Gardener training will follow on Saturdays from February 5 through March 5. For more information, please call 503-226-1561, x5654.

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