Oregon Zoo October 2005 Press Releases

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

October 2005

October 31 - Discover Tropical Rainforests of Costa Rica During Zoo Tour
October 28 - Oregon Zoo Hosts Howling Good Time
October 24 - Oregon Zoo's Famous Sea Otter Headed To Georgia
October 17 - Superstition Thrill Ride at Oregon Zoo Features "Mistress of the Dark"
October 7 - Found! The Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
October 3 - Zoo Welcomes Elephant Experts From Around The World

October 31, 2005
DISCOVER TROPICAL RAINFORESTS OF COSTA RICA DURING ZOO TOUR
Oregon Zoo director serves as guide of Costa Rican adventure, Feb. 11-19

Portland, Ore.- he call of a macaw resonates through the forest canopy, and a monkey responds with a short, high-pitched squeal. As a mist descends among the trees, you move further into the canopy across a skybridge through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's just one of many enchanted stops you'll experience during the Oregon Zoo's nine-day excursion, February 11-19, 2006, into the rich tropical forests of Costa Rica. Sign up deadline is December 10, 2005.

Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio, an avid birder, will lead the trip along with one of Costa Rica's premier birder naturalists, Rudy Zamora. Together, their expertise will illuminate your journey into these unique ecosystems.

The adventure begins with a spectacular aerial tram ride through the tree tops of the virgin tropical forest of Braulio Carillo National Park. Experience a bird's-eye view of the wildlife and plants like orchids and bromeliads, which have adapted to this hanging world high up in the trees in their search for light and space.

Explore Tortuguero National Park by boat and see one of Costa Rica's richest regions of biological diversity and wildlife. Spending two nights at the Evergreen Lodge in the middle of Tortuguero, you'll watch nature's circus as spider and howler monkeys frolic overhead.

At Arenal Volcano, indulge yourself at the Tabacon Hot Springs Spa & Resort. The resort is supplied with water heated from the volcano, which cascades down waterfalls and forms pools in the lush tropical gardens of the resort. Then, spend the night at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, established by the Smithsonian Institute to observe the volcano.

Continue to the Monteverde Cloud Forest for a truly mystical experience. A network of bridges and trails intersects through the canopy of the cloud forest-allowing you to literally walk among the treetops. Discover the many birds and plants that inhabit this unique ecosystem, and maybe even spot a monkey. The adventurous can even try out the Sky Trek, which includes an exhilarating ride on the zip lines strung through the forest canopy.

At Sarchi, barter for some of Costa Rica's colorful handicrafts before heading on to the capital, San Jose. Explore the vibrancy of Costa Rica's largest city before a farewell dinner at your hotel.

You can extend your adventure with three days at gorgeous Tamarindo Beach, staying at one of the most exclusive hotels in Costa Rica. From snorkeling, sailing and fishing to canopy tours, jungle boat rides and horseback riding, Tamarindo is the perfect finale for your Costa Rica escape.

The package trip to Costa Rica costs $2,895 per person, including airfare from Portland. The three-day extension to Tamarindo costs an additional $695 per person.

For complete itinerary and registration information, e-mail lloydk@metro.dst.or.us or call 503-220-5707. Sign up deadline is December 10, 2005.

October 28, 2005
OREGON ZOO HOSTS HOWLING GOOD TIME

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Portland, Ore.- Families can trick-or-treat and learn more about wildlife during Howloween at the Oregon Zoo. Howloween, presented by Sterling Saving Bank, is scheduled for Oct. 29 and 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In keeping with the zoo's mission, this event is educational as well as fun. An intriguing scavenger hunt directs trick-or-treaters to easily accessible activity stations located throughout the zoo in order to collect candy or prizes. The activities are themed to dispel myths about animals, such as "blind as a bat."

"Kids of all ages can hunt for candy and prizes while in the company of some of the world's most exciting and exotic animals," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "When children and adults visit the zoo, we hope they make a connection with the animals that promotes caring about their future."

Various animals will receive pumpkins as enrichment throughout the weekend courtesy of Al's Garden Center. The schedule for Saturday and Sunday is as follows:

The zoo will also be celebrating the seventh birthday of its Amur tigers, Mikhail and Nicole. The brother and sister pair dressed in the traditional Halloween colors, orange and black, will receive a special birthday treat Monday, October 31.

The zoo's Cascade Outfitters gift shop will offer special pricing on seasonal items. Fun food treats will also be available all weekend throughout the zoo.

A new attraction this year will be Fujifilm's Halloween Pandamonium activities where zoo goers and children in costumes can visit the Fujifilm tent to take their picture with a life-size Panda mascot and receive free Panda trading cards. Also, visitors may enter a sweepstakes to win a fabulous weekend trip for four to the Smithsonian National Zoo for a private VIP tour of the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat and the opportunity to "meet" the new panda cub and proud parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

In addition to Howloween, Oregon Zoo is offering the Superstition thrill ride for the Halloween season. The frightening feature produced by SimEx-Iwerks, runs through Monday, October 31.

"The ride really puts you in the Halloween spirit," observed Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "We expect to hear lots of screaming as our visitors journey through the ride's graveyards, dungeons and dark forests filled with ghosts, skeletons and scary creatures."

Superstition plays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the SimEx-Iwerks simulation theater located on the former entry plaza directly across from the Amur Tiger exhibit, close to the Zoo Railway Station. In addition to regular zoo admission, a $2 ticket is required. Due to the limited number of seats, a maximum of 800 visitors per day are able to experience the ride.

October 24, 2005
OREGON ZOO'S FAMOUS SEA OTTER HEADED TO GEORGIA

Portland, Ore. - There comes a time in every young male's life when it's time to move away from mom and dad. That time has arrived for Oregon Zoo's famous Southern sea otter Oz. A favorite of zoo visitors and animal care staff since his surprise birth nearly five years ago, Oz, or Ozzie as he is affectionately known, will be missed. Ozzie and his mother Thelma

Ozzie has been very important both to Oregon Zoo and to his species. Southern sea otters no longer live in Oregon waters, making Oz the first sea otter born in Oregon in almost a century. He also has the distinction of being the first Southern sea otter in the world to be conceived, born, and raised by its mother at a zoo or aquarium. Southern sea otters have been born in other zoos or aquariums, but none survived.

His birth on Jan. 3, 2001 was a surprise because his mother Thelma was not even three years old, and sea otters are not normally sexually mature until they reach at least four years of age. Southern sea otters are a threatened species, so his birth was considered extremely important.

"Oz helps the zoo visitor make the connection with wild sea otters," said marine life keeper Karen Rifenbury. "From his birth, he drew the public to the zoo to watch him grow."
Public interest in Ozzie has not waned. Shortly after his birth, the community named him Oz, which stands for Oregon Zoo. Families tell zoo staff they visit weekly to monitor his progress.

The zoo's marine life keepers became an intimate part of his life. They were allowed to glimpse into the natural care and growth process as his mother, Thelma, raised him. Being included in this process was a privilege that very few are able to witness. Through established trust with Thelma, they were able to get close enough to glean valuable information to share with other researchers in the country. To be able to witness the maternal bond, development of personality and maturation of Ozzie has been the highlight of their careers.

"He will be greatly missed by both staff and visitors," said Rifenbury. "At the same time, we know he will continue to make a positive impact and be a wonderful and valuable ambassador for his species."

Ozzie will move to the new Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, which opens to the public November 23. Once there, he will be paired with a female Southern sea otter.

Once found from Baja, California to Alaska and Northern Japan, unlimited hunting for the sea otters' soft, luxurious fur almost led to its extinction during the fur trade in the late 1800s and early 1900s. By 1911 only 13 small colonies existed throughout their range. The Fur Seal Treaty of 1911 ended hunting. An imperiled population of Southern sea otters still exists in California, while a more vigorous population of Northern sea otters can be found in Alaska, although their numbers are in decline due to predation by killer whales.

October 17, 2005
SUPERSTITION THRILL RIDE AT OREGON ZOO FEATURES "MISTRESS OF THE DARK"

Portland, Ore.- Oregon Zoo wants its visitors to enjoy a good scare this Halloween season on the thrill ride, Superstition. The frightening feature, which is produced by SimEx-Iwerks, opens on Monday, Oct. 17 and runs through Monday, Oct. 31.

The thrill ride's pre-show video features self-proclaimed "Mistress of the Dark," television's campy horror-hostess Elvira. Riders listen as she introduces her new concept for a theme park - actually a SCREAM park called "Elvira's Tragic Kingdom." With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Elvira chirps that her park will be for people who are tired of those "thrill rides where everyone survives!" Elvira is joined by her assistants - Dracula, the Wolfman, and of course, Frankenstein.

The ride begins as the rolling cars rumble down the creaking tracks. Symbols of superstition abound, from black cats to skeletons. Images of Elvira herself crop up in unexpected places, catching riders' eyes as they roll through a shimmering hall of mirrors. Suddenly, the track beneath seems to drop away and they're off on a breathtaking roller coaster ride.

The simulator premiered in May 2003 with Deep Sea, which according to Vecchio was a "tremendous success." More than 267,300 people have experienced the simulator theater, which has generated $954,184 for many conservation and education programs at the zoo.

Superstition plays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the SimEx-Iwerks simulation theater located on the former entry plaza directly across from the Amur Tiger exhibit, close to the Zoo Railway Station. In addition to regular zoo admission, a $2 ticket is required. Due to the limited number of seats, a maximum of 800 visitors per day are able to experience the ride.

October 7, 2005
FOUND! THE REDISCOVERY OF THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER
Learn more about this incredible rediscovery during a lecture on October 26

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Portland, Ore.- The ivory-billed woodpecker was thought to be extinct, with the last confirmed sighting in the United States occurring nearly 60 years ago. But in February 2004 the bird's story was brought back to life with a sighting in the swamplands of Arkansas. Hear a detailed account of the rediscovery of this majestic bird from Gene Sparling, the naturalist who first spotted it, and Phillip Hoose, author of The Race to Save the Lord God Bird, at the Oregon Zoo's Kalahari Banquet Center on Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m.

"This is a remarkable story and one that we are privileged to have shared at the Oregon Zoo," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "When you realize that this bird was thought to be extinct for more than half a century, its rediscovery is a truly incredible event."

Sparling's sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas led to an extensive, yearlong scientific search for the bird by the Big Woods Conservation partnership, led by the Nature Conservancy and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Since the search began, seven credible sightings, along with other evidence, have convinced scientists that the ivory-billed woodpecker resides in the Big Woods swampland forest of Arkansas.

The lecture is sponsored by the Backyard Bird Shop and is being presented by the Oregon Zoo, Audubon Society of Portland, World Forestry Center and The Nature Conservancy.

Tickets for the lecture are $11 ($9 for members of sponsor organizations, students, and seniors). Tickets are available at the Oregon Zoo by calling 503-226-1561, or by visiting www.oregonzoo.org.

October 3, 2005
ZOO WELCOMES ELEPHANT EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
The Oregon Zoo hosts 26th Annual Elephant Managers Workshop, October 5-9

Portland, Ore.- With a reputation for one of the most innovative and successful elephant management programs in the nation, the Oregon Zoo has been chosen to host the 26th Annual Elephant Managers Workshop on October 5-9.

Elephant managers, keepers, veterinarians and researchers from as far away as England, New Zealand and Africa will gather to discuss the latest methods of elephant management and care.

The Board of Directors of the Elephant Managers Association chose the Oregon Zoo to host the event because of its long track record of successful elephant management. Since the birth of Packy in 1962, twenty-seven Asian elephants have been born at the Oregon Zoo. That is more than any other zoo in North America. And since 1996, Oregon Zoo Deputy Director Mike Keele has served as the national Species Survival Plan Coordinator for Asian and African Elephants for the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.

"The elephant management community contains some of the most dedicated, passionate people working with animals anywhere," Keele said. "When a bunch of us get together, the amount of good, useful information that gets shared is staggering."

Over the course of five days, the workshop will feature presentations and discussions concerning all areas of elephant management like husbandry, enrichment and veterinary care.

The conference will be held at the Lloyd Center Double Tree Hotel, but on October 7 attendees will spend the day at the Oregon Zoo. To coincide with their visit, the zoo has planned a busy schedule of elephant activities.

Starting at 10:15 that morning, Packy will show off his intelligence before Rama delights onlookers at 1:45 p.m. Both of these events are open to the public, who can join the experts and watch the activities unfold. Two other events will take place behind the scenes for conference guests only: Chendra will give a demonstration at 2:30 p.m. and Tusko, the newest elephant at the Oregon Zoo, will take a bath at 3:15 p.m.