Oregon Zoo August 2005 Press Releases

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NOTE: Dates indicate date of press release, not the date of the event.

August 2005

August 31 - Seniors Honored With Free Day at Oregon Zoo
August 30 - Rhino VIP Encounter September 18
August 26 - Two Behind the Scenes Encounters Coming Soon
August 25 - Oregon Zoo's Endangered Condors Reach Critical Milestones
August 24 - Butterfly Garden at Zoo Extended by Popular Demand
August 16 - Explorer Denounces Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
August 11 - Yahoo Yodeler Wylie & the Wild West Perform August 31
August 10 - Oregon Zoo Says 'Bienvenidos' to Spanish-Speaking Visitors by Offering Spanish Language Map
August 8 - Rare Baby Colobus Monkey Debuts at Zoo
August 8 - Karla Bonoff Performs August 24
August 5 - Susan Tedeschi, Blind Boys of Alabama Perform August 26
August 4 - Endangered Mardon Skipper Emerges in Oregon Zoo's Captive Butterfly Rearing Project
August 2 - Everyone Wants Another Martini
August 1 - Asleep at the Wheel Performs August 17

August 31, 2005
SENIORS HONORED WITH FREE DAY AT OREGON ZOO

Portland, Ore.- Seniors, and one companion, can let their inner child out at the Oregon Zoo during the 30th annual Senior Safari, Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsored by Providence Health Plan, Senior Safari has been planned with seniors in mind.

"So many people associate the zoo with young children and forget the zoo is here to be enjoyed by everyone," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo Director. "By offering this special day for seniors, we hope older adults will think of the zoo when planning their leisure time."

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, petting zoo and bird displays, as well as dancing and vocal ensembles. The Winged Wonders butterfly exhibit will be open for the day, and a reasonably priced lunch buffet will also be offered.

Providence Home and Community Services will provide wheelchairs free of charge on a first-come, first-served 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.

August 30, 2005
RHINO VIP ENCOUNTER SEPTEMBER 18
Come to the Oregon Zoo and get up close with Pete

Portland, Ore.- Did you know that rhinos love bathing in the mud because it keeps them cool and protects them from biting insects? Visitors will go behind the scenes and discover the wonderful world of rhinos during Oregon Zoo's Rhino VIP Encounter, Sunday, September 18, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. VIP Encounter participants must be 14 years of age or older.

During the tour guests will learn about endangered rhinos, tour the barn, and help give the zoo's own one-horned wonder Pete his midmorning snack. Participants will find out what part the Oregon Zoo plays in the black rhino Species Survival Plan and may even sneak a peek at Pete's housemates, the hippos.

"Hand-feeding a 3,000-pound rhino is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," says Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "We hope visitors will make a connection with our animals so they come away with a better understanding that all wildlife is important."

With VIP encounters guests spend 90 minutes with keepers getting an up-close and personal experience with the residents at the Oregon Zoo. The price for the event is $100 ($85 for members).

August 26, 2005
TWO BEHIND THE SCENES ENCOUNTERS COMING SOON
Get up close with the Oregon Zoo's penguins and bears

Portland, Ore.- Popular animals old and new will be getting up close with Oregon Zoo guests at two Behind the Scenes Encounters this fall.

The teddy bear debuted in 1902 and has been a popular worldwide icon ever since, coming in all different colors and sizes. The zoo has bears of different colors and sizes, too, and guests are invited to learn all about them at the Bear Family Encounter on Sunday, September 11.

But first, some of the newest birds in the spotlight will have their own event. Penguins have found recent fame with "March of the Penguins" in theaters. They will take time out of their busy schedules on Saturday, September 10 for the Penguin Encounter.

While the penguins sport their dressy black and white suits, the Penguin Encounter is a casual affair for the Oregon Zoo's guests. Guests are invited to wear whatever attire they want from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, September 10 for the event. This fun and educational experience features people-friendly Mochica along with his flightless and feathered friends. Guests will even get to join the penguins in a fishy treat! Learn all about these unique birds from the zoo staff that work with them daily.

"These up-close encounters help instill a love for animals by providing personal interactions and memories that last a lifetime," said Charis Henrie, education coordinator.
The Penguin Encounter is for guests ages 12 and up. The price for the hour-long program is $40 ($34 for members).

Learn all about the biggest and smallest bears in the world with the Bear Family Encounter from 10-11 a.m. on Sunday, September 11. Discover some of the special adaptations polar bears have for living in the cold and how sun bears deal with a tropical climate. Guests can also make some tasty treats for the bears and learn who prefers fish and who would rather eat fruit.

The Bear Family Encounter is for children 8-13 years of age accompanied by an adult. Prices for the hour-long tour are $60 for two people and $30 for each additional person (member prices are $50 for two people and $25 for each additional person).

August 25, 2005
OREGON ZOO'S ENDANGERED CONDORS REACH CRITICAL MILESTONES
Developmental achievements are feathers in the cap of the zoo's condor breeding program

Portland, Ore.- Since the Oregon Zoo joined the California Condor Recovery Team in 2003, the condor breeding facility at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation has had three chicks hatch there. All are doing well and are in various stages of development.
Kun Wak Shun scheduled for September release to the wild

Former Oregon Zoo Assistant Condor Curator Joe Burnett, now Condor Coordinator at Ventana Wilderness Society, will coordinate the release of Kun Wak Shun, the first California condor hatched in Oregon in more than a century, at Pinnacles National Monument on September 17.

Hatched in May 2004, Kun Wak Shun is the offspring of Tama and Mandan, a pair sent to the Oregon Zoo from the Los Angeles Zoo in November 2003. He was named by Chief Wallulatum of the Wasco tribe. Kun Wak Shun means "thunder and lightning" in the Wasco language.

At nine months old, Kun Wak Shun began his "boot camp" training at Ventana Wilderness Society's condor release pen in Pinnacles National Monument in central California. The release pen is situated on a steep mountainside in a remote wilderness area within Pinnacles National Monument. The release pen is a large netted aviary where young condors learn the intricacies of condor social hierarchy and survival skills from an adult mentor bird before being released into the wild. Young condors also receive aversion training through a mock power pole set up inside the release pen. The aviary provides plenty of natural perching as well as enough room to exercise the condors' wings and build up flight muscles. The remote setting of the release pen has the added bonus of exposing the pre-release cohort to the seven wild condors, who come by and visit the youngsters on almost a daily basis.
Kun Wak Shun is now full-grown at 15 months of age, with a wingspan of 9.5 feet and weighing 19 lbs.

"I feel very fortunate that I've been able to watch Kun Wak Shun develop from a fragile young chick at the Oregon Zoo into the strong, healthy bird he is today," said Burnett.

"He's pushed his way up through the release flock hierarchy and will have to prove himself again amongst the wild birds," he added. "He is showing every indication that he will do extremely well upon release. I can't wait to see him take his first flight into the wild!"

Kun Wak Shun will be fitted with a GPS satellite tracking tag prior to release and his movements will be mapped daily by the field biologists. This movement data will provide an accurate picture of his daily activity patterns and allow biologists to keep a watchful eye on his progress.

Kun Wak Shun will be released with four other condors his age. They will be let go using a "soft-release" approach, meaning each bird has had ample acclimation time to fully develop and adjust to their new surroundings. Following the release, biologists will monitor supplemental feeding and water sites to ensure that each newly released condor not only finds the location, but also feeds and drinks there with the wild flock.

The September 17 condor release at Pinnacles National Monument is open to the public. Please visit Ventana Wilderness Society's web site at www.ventanaws.org, or call 831-455-9514, for more release event details.

Tatoosh, the Oregon Zoo's first California condor chick of 2005, left the nest for the first time in July.

"Tatoosh's foster dad, number 137, actually nudged her on the outside ledge, which caused her to lose balance and slip off. She landed on the ground unscathed and quickly went about exploring the entire confines of the pen," explained Senior Bird Keeper Shawn St. Michael. "The next morning both parents were visiting the chick inside the holding pen where she spent the night. They encouraged her to move around and build strength."

Tatoosh took her first drink of water from the pool inside the pen during the afternoon heat, and both foster parents spent a great amount of time on the ground with her. After having a day of exploration, Tatoosh was given a medical examination and her second West Nile virus vaccination, and then returned to her nest box.

At three and a half months old, Tatoosh fledged earlier than expected. Most condors in the wild fledge at five to six months of age and captive ones fledge slightly earlier at four to five months. Keepers surmise that the "helpful nudge" Tatoosh's foster father gave her from the nest box was the result of excitement due to seeing the chick on the nest box ledge for the first time. At this age, Tatoosh is still gaining her balance and learning to walk. She is also still learning preening behavior from her foster parents through mimicry, and she remains dependent on them for meals, which they provide in the form of regurgitated meat.

"Condors fledge earlier in captivity because of the short distance to the ground versus in the wild," said St. Michael. "Wild nests can be 400-500 feet up a cliff face-not something you would jump off until you're good and ready!"

Tatoosh hatched on April 18 from an egg laid on February 21, making her the second California condor to hatch in Oregon in more than a century. At birth, she weighed only 8 ounces; she now weighs about 16 pounds. Foster parents 137 and 147 have raised her since her hatching.

The second condor chick of 2005, as yet unnamed, is developing normally and on schedule, according to his most recent physical exam. A male offspring of Paxa and Sawla, the nestling also received the second of his three West Nile virus vaccinations at his last check-up.

"At this stage, he looks a lot like a turkey covered in gray fuzz," said St. Michael.
This chick hatched on May 9, from the first egg produced by the pair Paxa and Sawla since their arrival in Oregon. He is expected to fledge in September.

The last condors were seen in Oregon in 1904, near the town of Drain, in southwest Oregon. Condors held out a little longer in California, but in 1987, there were only 27 left in the wild. In an attempt to save the species, biologists decided to place all the remaining condors into a captive breeding program. When Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the California condor was one of the original animals included on the list.

Condors have a long history in Oregon. Archeologists have unearthed 9,000-year-old condor bones from Native American middens. The condor was a common design motif of the Wasco people, who lived along the Columbia River from The Dalles to Cascade Locks. The condor was considered a helper to the native peoples and a key character in many myths.

Explorers Lewis and Clark documented sightings of the California condor in their journal, describing it in an October 28, 1805 entry as a "Vulture of the Columbia" and noted that the species was common. In a later entry they wrote "These Buzzards are much larger than any of their Species or the largest eagle." Less than fifty years after their journal entries,

The Oregon Zoo is the fourth organization in the nation invited to join the California Condor Recovery Program. California condor captive breeding programs are operated at San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, Los Angeles Zoo, and The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise. The recovery goal for the condor program is to establish a captive population of 150 birds and two separate wild populations of condors (150 each), one in California and the other in Arizona. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Condor Recovery Program coordinate and implement the recovery efforts and provide oversight of all program partners. The Oregon Zoo's condor recovery efforts take place at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, located in Clackamas County on Metro-owned open space.

Condors are the largest land birds in North America, with wingspans of up to ten feet, and weigh between 18 and 24 pounds. They are highly intelligent and inquisitive, often engaging in play. During the Pleistocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago, the condors' range extended across much of North America. By 1940, the range was reduced to the coastal mountains of southern California.

August 24, 2005
BUTTERFLY GARDEN AT OREGON ZOO EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND

Portland, Ore.- Oregon Zoo visitors have a little longer to catch a bevy of beautiful butterflies as they flutter by during Winged Wonders. Originally scheduled to end on September 5, this temporary summer exhibit has been extended to run through September 18. The exhibit features more than 20 species of butterflies native to North America, as well as captivating exotic species from Central and South America.

"The exhibit has been a phenomenal success," said Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "It's surprising how such small creatures can have such a big impact on people."

Visitors can meander through beautiful gardens with water features and some lucky visitors may even have butterflies land on them. "Lingering" areas with benches allow visitors to sit back and be totally immersed in a world of winged wonders. Before leaving the butterfly aviary, visitors can view a display where dozens of pupae, varied in size and color according to species, continue to develop and grow. Butterflies that emerge from these pupae are released into the aviary.

An interpretive area allows visitors to learn more about the butterflies with which they've just interacted. Interesting and fun hands-on activities explain how a butterfly uses its senses of sight, smell and taste.

The exit area consists of a butterfly garden with locally available plants native to North America, including passing Beebalm, Blackeyed Susans, Red Vallerian, Purple Coneflower, and Gayfeather-all of which attract butterflies.

The zoo's field conservation projects with endangered Oregon silverspot and Fender's blue butterflies are also featured in a display on how the zoo rears endangered butterflies. The zoo has teamed up with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) to form the Butterfly Conservation Initiative. A portion of the proceeds from the Oregon Zoo's butterfly exhibit helps support the zoo's butterfly education and conservation efforts.

"Most people don't realize there are endangered butterflies here in the northwest," said Vecchio. "We hope by connecting people to beautiful butterflies, they'll begin to care more about the local environment and wildlife."

The Winged Wonders exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through September 5; the exhibit will begin to close at 2 p.m. on weekdays starting September 6. Admission to the Winged Wonders exhibit is $2.

August 16, 2005
EXPLORER DENOUNCES DRILLING IN ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Jonathan Waterman's Sept. 7 lecture at Oregon Zoo highlights importance of preserving Alaska's wildlife refuge

Portland, Ore.- The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, known as ANWR, holds a special place in the heart of writer, photographer, filmmaker, and explorer Jonathan Waterman. "Nothing compares to the refuge," he says. "Even while kayaking 1,700 miles across the Canadian Arctic, I could not find a landscape so spectacular."

But it is a landscape threatened by recent proposals to open ANWR for oil exploration. Waterman will recount his own personal experience in this last great pristine wilderness and discuss its fragility during an Oregon Zoo lecture titled "ANWR or Oil" on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Waterman's lecture is sponsored by the Alaska Coalition.

In recent years Waterman has become one of the leading advocates for preserving ANWR. It's just one of the many roles he has played since beginning his career as a rescue ranger in the Alaskan wilderness. As a ranger and guide, he developed an intimate knowledge and appreciation of the Arctic north, which he shares with others through his writing, photography, and filmmaking. As an author, he has published nine books, including his most recent, Where Mountains Are Nameless: Passion and Politics in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He has also produced documentary films like Surviving Denali and Odyssey Among the Inuit that have aired on PBS and ESPN.

"Ninety-five percent of Alaska's North Shore has been opened to the oil industry," he says. "The 19-million-acre refuge is the last five percent of land where oil development is outlawed."

But there is also an estimated 5.6 to 16 million barrels of light sweet crude that lies beneath its coastal shelf.

ANWR has been caught in the crosshairs of the geopolitical debate surrounding U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Advocates for developing ANWR say it will decrease U.S. reliance on foreign reserves. And, with oil prices reaching record highs, the pressure is building to protect the U.S. economy by developing domestic reserves as much as possible.
Lost in the debate about ANWR, according to Waterman, is the place itself: a vast windswept wilderness of tremendous beauty where snowy mountains collide with the icy sea.

"It's one of the last places in the United States where you can cup your hand to drink pure stream water and gaze across endless miles uninterrupted by commerce of any kind," he says.

It is a place that Waterman knows well, having spent more than 20 years visiting it and exploring its remote reaches.

To Waterman, the choice is obvious. "To know what's at stake in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is to demand its protection," he says.

Waterman's lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the Cascade Crest Banquet Room at the Oregon Zoo on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Tickets are $11 and can be purchased at the zoo entrance, by calling 503-226-1561 or by visiting the online ticket page. Discounted tickets for $9 are available for zoo members, students and seniors.

August 11, 2005
YAHOO YODELER WYLIE & THE WILD WEST PERFORM AUGUST 31
A real live cowboy playing real live cowboy music at the Oregon Zoo

Portland, Ore.- Saddle up the horses, sharpen your spurs, and dust off your britches because cowboy act Wylie & the Wild West is coming to the Oregon Zoo on Wednesday, August 31 at 7 p.m. for the final concert of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series.

To call it an act, though, might be misleading. Wylie is the real thing: an actual cowboy who still gets up with the sun to tend cattle on his ranch in Dusty, Washington. The work on the ranch is the inspiration for his music, which has taken him all across the country to places like Lincoln Center, the Grand Ole Opry (over 45 times), and the Kennedy Center. Not bad for a cowpoke from Montana.

Even if you've never heard his music before, you've probably heard Wylie. That's him yodeling at the end of Yahoo commercials.

"The commercials earned him the nickname 'The Yahoo Yodeler,' which isn't quite 'The Sundance Kid,' but it's still pretty darn cool," said Krista Swan, event coordinator.

If yodeling were all he was good at, though, Wylie would have had a short career. Instead, he's released six albums in almost fifteen years that careen in style from the sort of country swing they probably played in Dodge City saloons to the lonely cowboy ballads that old rustlers used to play round campfires on the prairie.

There won't be any campfires on the concert lawn at the zoo, but there will be plenty of good music when Wylie & the Wild West performs on August 31.

Tickets for Wednesday "Plus" concerts are available for $9.50 after 4 p.m. the day of the performance, include zoo admission and are subject to availability.

Zoo membership at the Plus level includes free admission to all Wednesday Plus concerts, daily visits to the zoo and the ZooLights holiday festival in the winter.

Concerts at the zoo help support the California condor conservation program. Concertgoers can do even more to help save endangered species through the zoo's Future for Wildlife Fund by adding $1 to their ticket price.

Wells Fargo has been sponsoring the summer concert series since 1996 as part of its community support activities. Earlier this year Northwest Business for Culture and the Arts honored Wells Fargo as the leading corporate supporter of arts and culture in Oregon in 2004. The concert series is also sponsored by The Oregonian A&E with support from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

August 10, 2005
OREGON ZOO SAYS 'BIENVENIDOS' TO SPANISH-SPEAKING VISITORS BY OFFERING SPANISH LANGUAGE MAP

Portland, Ore.- In an effort to embrace Oregon's vibrant and expanding Hispanic communities, the Oregon Zoo has recently made Spanish-language zoo maps available with funding from sponsor KeyBank. Visitors are provided a map at time of admission ticket purchase and can find maps at the zoo's reception office.

In the past decade, Oregon's Hispanic population has more than doubled, making Hispanics the state's largest minority group. Most live in the tri-county area (Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties), with the greatest concentration in Washington County.

"The zoo has always made real efforts to serve the needs of its visitors," said Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "We hope the new map, added to our already-established foreign language programming, allows our Spanish-speaking visitors to have a more interactive and enjoyable zoo experience."

The pocket-sized Mapa del Zoológico has an easy-to-use layout and design identical to the English-language version. In addition to information about exhibit locations, the map also shows where first aid and emergency phones can be found.

The Oregon Zoo has taken past initiatives to reach several different cultural communities. In October 2004, the zoo unveiled KeyBank's new ZooKey "talking boxes" that were formatted with both English and Spanish recordings. Among this year's ZooTeens volunteers are speakers of Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and American Sign Language; most wear a button that says what other language they speak. And in May 2005, English as a Second Language students from Aloha High School volunteered in the zoo's Winged Wonders butterfly exhibit. Not only did the students get the opportunity to practice their own English skills, they served as interpreters for visitors. The majority of them spoke Spanish as their first language.

"Diversity speaks to the basic elements of who we are, whether an individual, an organization, or a society," said Deborah Sakamoto, KeyBank's Vice President of Public Affairs. "As a relationship-based company, Key places great value in understanding itself and the people and communities we serve."

August 8, 2005
RARE BABY COLOBUS MONKEY DEBUTS AT ZOO
Second of threatened species born to mother Mali in past two years

Portland, Ore.- Another baby colobus monkey makes its Oregon Zoo debut in the Africa Rainforest exhibit on Tuesday, August 9, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. The new male, which was born on July 27, has yet to be officially named. Born just a little over a year after his brother, Oscar, the baby colobus weighed 1.48 pounds at birth, a little above average for the species.

The colobus mother Mali, 9, who was also born at Oregon Zoo, got a crash course in motherhood last year with the birth of her first infant. As the last offspring of her mother, and growing up without other mothers in her group at the zoo, Mali had never seen a baby colobus raised, and needed some help from keepers and her mate Kiku, 14. All the work keepers did in 2004 to help Mali and her infant bond have paid off for this year's newborn, too.

"Although Kiku picked up the infant first again this year, as happened last year, Mali was much more able and ready to take over her maternal role this time," said Anna Michel, senior Africa keeper.Michel attributed much of the colobus family's successes to Africa Keeper Asaba Mukobi, who trained the colobus pair to accept his presence and allow him to get close in preparation for Mali's first pregnancy in 2004. He used traditional positive reinforcement techniques, usually food rewards, to encourage desirable behavior. When the monkeys would come close to him, they got peanuts. When they allowed a light touch on the head, they got peanuts. In this way, keepers and vet staff were able to evaluate the animals more often, and with less stress, than in the past.

Unlike last year, mother Mali did not need to be sedated this year when introduced to her infant. (Sedation and confinement are two techniques used by animal management staff to encourage bonding in mother-baby introductions.) Keepers had to sedate dad Kiku to remove the infant from his protective grasp, but "once the baby was in Mali's arms, she knew what to do. She's already shown that she's pretty protective," said Africa Keeper Steve Hash.

Mother and infant were kept in living quarters separate from the other colobus monkeys for a week to allow them time to bond. Dad Kiku and brother Oscar had visual access through a screen during this period.

"When it came time for introductions, we just opened the door to the exhibit and let them get together," said Hash. "Kiku showed little interest, while Oscar wondered what the big deal was. Mali held onto the infant and made sure he stayed out of trouble."
Born with pure white fur, the baby colobus will take on his striking adult black-and-white coloring in a few months.

As long as introductions continue to go well, the baby colobus will be on exhibit with his family starting Tuesday, August 9. The infant will be on exhibit only half a day at first, to protect him from the afternoon heat.

Colobus monkeys are a threatened species in their native region of eastern Africa due to habitat encroachment by humans and a loss of habitat when forests are cut down. There are four different species of black and white colobus monkey; the Oregon Zoo houses the guereza (Colobus guereza), subspecies kikuyuensis. They have a pouched stomach adapted to leaf digestion, and males use vocalizations to establish territory.

August 8, 2005
KARLA BONOFF PERFORMS AUGUST 24
Folk singer from the Troubadour scene steps outside at the Oregon Zoo

Portland, Ore.- Karla Bonoff got her start at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood. Now she'll be performing at the Oregon Zoo on Wednesday, August 24 at 7 p.m. as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series.

During the 70s, the Troubadour was the epicenter of singer-songwriters. It was home to the Monday night hootenanny scene that included Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and The Eagles. Elton John made his first appearance in the United States at the club. Karla Bonoff frequented the Troubadour with her band Bryndle, a folk-rock combo that she met at UCLA.

The group was signed to A&M Records but never released an album. Instead, two of the members joined Linda Ronstadt's band. They introduced Ronstadt to Bonoff, and the star recorded three of Bonoff's songs for Ronstadt's 1976 album, Hasten Down the Wind.

That convinced Columbia to sign Bonoff to her own contract. She released three albums for the label, including her critically acclaimed self-titled debut. It included the three songs that Ronstadt had recorded and one that had been recorded by Bonnie Raitt. But despite the good reviews, it sold poorly, as did her second album.

That made her third album make-or-break. Wild Heart of the Young was her most commercial record to date, with a carefully crafted single, "Personally." Even though the single became a hit and reached the top forty, it didn't convince Columbia to extend her contract.

Without a record deal, Bonoff had to wait until 1988 to release another album. But in between records, she was involved with a number of movie soundtracks like Footloose and About Last Night. Then in 1995 she and the other members of Bryndle reunited to release their long-awaited debut album that had been more than twenty-five years in the making. The release gave Bonoff's career a second wind, and she continues a busy touring schedule that will bring her to the Oregon Zoo.

"Karla Bonoff deserves comparison with Linda Ronstadt and Carly Simon," said event organizer Krista Swan. "She's a wonderful singer and an equally talented songwriter."
Tickets for Wednesday "Plus" concerts are available for $9.50 after 4 p.m. the day of the performance, include zoo admission and are subject to availability.

Zoo membership at the Plus level includes free admission to all Wednesday Plus concerts, daily visits to the zoo and the ZooLights holiday festival in the winter.

August 5, 2005
SUSAN TEDESCHI, BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA PERFORM AUGUST 26
Pair of Grammy-recognized artists perform at Oregon Zoo

Portland, Ore.- What do Susan Tedeschi and the Blind Boys of Alabama have in common? In addition to being two Grammy-recognized acts, both will light up the concert lawn starting at 7 p.m. on August 26 to conclude the Oregon Zoo's "Premium" portion of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series.

"I can't think of a better way to end our Premium concert lineup," said Krista Swan, event coordinator for the Oregon Zoo. "With two such masterful and inspiring performers taking the stage on the same night, guests are in for a real treat."

Three-time Grammy nominee Susan Tedeschi has a voice frequently compared with Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt and Etta James and a guitar sound influenced by Johnny Guitar Watson, Magic Sam and Freddie King. She broke onto the music scene with her national debut album Just Won't Burn in 1998 and has since won numerous W.C. Handy Blues Awards, the highest honor given to artists by the blues industry.

Tedeschi has performed with Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks and has toured with John Mellencamp and B.B. King. Her stage presence promises to keep the zoo crowd in amazement with her outstanding vocals and fantastic guitar playing.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have won Grammy awards each of the past four years and are hoping to make it a five-peat with their most recent release, Atom Bomb. Formed at the Alabama Institute of the Negro Blind in 1939, the group is still at the top of the gospel charts-a longevity unmatched among today's musicians.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have performed with Ray Charles, Ben Harper and Robert Randolph. They recently received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, presented by the American Foundation for the Blind. The award, which includes Stevie Wonder and Charles as its past recipients, recognizes individuals or organizations that work to improve the quality of life for people who are visually impaired and all people who are physically disabled.

The Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series helps fund the zoo's condor conservation program, which recently celebrated the third condor hatched in Oregon. Concertgoers can do even more to help save endangered species through the zoo's Future for Wildlife Fund by adding $1 to their ticket price.

Tickets for Susan Tedeschi and the Blind Boys of Alabama are $19 and are available at TicketsWest (www.ticketswest.com, 800-992-TIXX, and Safeway outlets), and at the zoo with no service charge (no phone calls please). Tickets are valid at 4 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m.

The concert series is also sponsored by The Oregonian A&E with promotional support from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

To view the complete concert schedule, read the artists' biographies or purchase tickets (through TicketsWest), please visit www.oregonzoo.org. Gourmet concert picnics can be ordered by calling 503-525-4215.

August 4, 2005
ENDANGERED MARDON SKIPPER EMERGES IN OREGON ZOO'S CAPTIVE BUTTERFLY REARING PROJECT
Tiny tawny-winged beauty was short-lived but important victory in zoo's Future for Wildlife Program

Portland, Ore.- What Oregon Zoo visitors won't see in the Winged Wonders exhibit may be one of the most important butterfly events of the year. This summer an endangered mardon skipper (Polites mardon) developed from egg to adult butterfly in the Oregon Zoo's butterfly lab.
Butterfly on flower

"The skipper lived 19 days," said Butterfly Keeper Mary Jo Andersen. "That's right along the average for the species, which is two to three weeks."

Mardon skippers have tawny orange and tan wings checkered with pale yellow or white rectangles. Individuals have a hairy, stout body, and males are slightly smaller than females. With a wingspan of no more than one inch, this butterfly of the family Hesperiidae is a pipsqueak even by butterfly standards.

The mardon skipper butterfly that emerged from its chrysalis in the zoo's butterfly lab appeared to be approximately in sync with the development of the mardon skipper population in the South Cascades of Washington State, which was the source population for this year's captive-reared skippers. This skipper came from eggs that were laid in flats of grass covered by mesh "tents." After the eggs hatched, the caterpillars were moved into jars with clumps of fescue, a tall grass upon which mardon skipper caterpillars feed. The butterfly lab's mardon skipper caterpillar spent the majority of its time in a nest it made from small bits of the fescue, coming out only to feed.

"Most people don't realize there are endangered butterflies here in the northwest," said Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "We believe efforts in our own region are the most effective way to engage visitors in conservation actions."

In the wild, mardon skippers live in fescue-dominated lowland prairies and upland meadows in Washington, Oregon and northern California. The species' habitat has declined in the past century due to development, livestock grazing, and introduction of non-native species. Use of pesticides and herbicides on the Northwest prairies also threatens the species and the plants on which it depends. In recent years, the mardon skipper has been placed on Washington State's endangered species list and is listed as a federal candidate under the Endangered Species Act.

At present, few details about mardon skipper behavior and life cycle are known, which makes raising them in captivity a challenge. Butterfly keeper Andersen said that in addition to learning about the seasonal timing of the butterfly's development, behaviors (such as feeding) similar to other skipper species were observed.

"While one mardon skipper may not seem like much, this is truly a victory, since timing has been one of many problems associated with rearing mardons," said Mary Linders, a conservation biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Because research on mardon skipper biology is in its early stages, these observations may one day help conservation biologists formulate a recovery plan, a detailed map of the specific tasks needed to recover a species on the U.S. List of Threatened and Endangered Species.

Rearing butterflies holds other lessons for Andersen as well. "While the adult butterfly's life span may be short, its development from egg to butterfly actually takes a whole year," she said. "It's an amazing process, and watching it has given me a different perspective of life and death. I think the caterpillar and chrysalis are just as beautiful as the butterfly."

August 2, 2005
EVERYONE WANTS ANOTHER MARTINI
Pink Martini has added a second concert at the Oregon Zoo on August 12

Portland, Ore.- Overwhelming demand has convinced local favorites Pink Martini to schedule a second concert at the Oregon Zoo on Friday, August 12 at 7 p.m. as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series. Their show on Sunday, August 14 has been sold out for weeks, with some of the $18 tickets selling on eBay for $99. The new concert gives disappointed fans that couldn't get tickets to the first show the chance to see Pink Martini during their only Portland appearances this summer.

"Pink Martini was our most popular concert," said event coordinator Krista Swan. "The first show sold out before any of the other concerts, and so many people wanted tickets that we decided to add a second night."

Since releasing their second album, Hang On Little Tomato, last autumn, Pink Martini has toured across the United States and Europe. This summer they will tour France and Switzerland, as well as make special appearances at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and in New York's Central Park with David Byrne.

Despite their busy schedule, the band will put away their passports for two special performances in their hometown. The Oregon Zoo is the perfect place to see Pink Martini in their element, outdoors on a beautiful summer evening. Concertgoers can pre-order picnic baskets and enjoy a picnic on the concert lawn prior to the show. And if they really want to go local, the MAX train is a carefree way to get to and from the concert.

The concert series helps to fund the zoo's condor conservation program, which has recently celebrated the third condor hatched in Oregon. Concertgoers can do even more to help save endangered species through the zoo's Future for Wildlife Fund by adding $1 to their ticket price.

Tickets for the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series are available at TicketsWest (www.ticketswest.com, 800-992-TIXX, and Safeway outlets), and at the zoo with no service charge (no phone calls please). Tickets are valid at 4 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m.

The concert series also receives promotional support from The Oregonian A&E and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

August 1, 2005
ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL PERFORMS AUGUST 17
Grammy-winning group entertains Oregon Zoo guests with Western swing music

PORTLAND, Ore.- Asleep at the Wheel has been entertaining audiences for 31 years, keeping the distinctively American art form of Western swing music alive from coast to coast. The nine-time Grammy-winning group is bringing their lively sound to the Oregon Zoo on Wednesday, August 17 at 7 p.m. as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series.

"These musicians bring a huge amount of energy everywhere they play," said Krista Swan, event coordinator. "The group's upbeat sound is sure to get a lot of people dancing and having a great time."

Formed by Ray Benson, Lucky Oceans (born Reuben Gosfield) and Leroy Preston in 1971, Asleep at the Wheel got its start in West Virginia as a straightforward country band. The group soon switched to Western swing after being inspired by the likes of Merle Haggard and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

Asleep at the Wheel released its first album, Comin' Right at Ya, in 1973 and had a hit single two years later with "The Letter That Johnny Walker Read." The group won its first Grammy in 1978 with the country instrumental "One O'Clock Jump."

Asleep at the Wheel has gone through many changes in its 31-year history. While Benson has been the driving force behind the group's achievements, he has seen at least 80 members come and go over the past three decades. Despite these challenges, Asleep at the Wheel has remained successful and is considered one of America's premier Western swing bands today.

Zoo membership at the Plus level includes free admission to all Wednesday Plus concerts, daily visits to the zoo and the ZooLights holiday festival in the winter.

The concert series is also sponsored by The Oregonian A&E with promotional support from Oregon Public Broadcasting.