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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Winter break can be fun and educational for kids attending the Oregon Zoo Winter ZooVenture Day Camps, Dec. 18-22 and 27-29. The Oregon Zoo's winter camp program is designed and led by the same professional staff that oversees the zoo's popular summer camp. Proceeds help fund the zoo's conservation and education programs.

Each day's activities focus on a unique animal theme. "Some Like It Cold" has campers examining how animals such as polar bears are built for winter. In "How Do They Do That?" children discover how animals climb, fly, glide, dive and survive in the wild. During "Short Days, Long Nights," campers learn about the differences between nocturnal animals (such as tigers and bats) and diurnal animals (such as elephants, zebras and monkeys).

Camp activities include guided trips through the zoo that allow kids to explore various areas in detail. In addition, touchable animals are on hand to make special visits to campers each day. Games, crafts and stories with zoo-animal themes add to the daily experiences.

Children may attend one day, a few days or all seven days. Half-day sessions for 4-year-olds through kindergartners take place from 9 a.m. to noon, or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fees are $12 per day for zoo members, and $14 per day for nonmembers. Full-day sessions for first- through fourth-graders begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Fees are $27 per day for zoo members, and $32 per day for nonmembers.

For registration or more information about Winter ZooVenture Day Camps, visit http://www.oregonzoo.org/Education/families/families_winter_zooventure.htm or call
503-220-2781.

During December, the zoo hosts a variety of holiday-themed activities, including ZooLights (through Dec. 31), Presents for Primates (Dec. 14), the Mystery of Flying Reindeer Revealed (Dec. 22), and Holiday ZooSnooze (Dec. 30).

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Primates at the Oregon Zoo will celebrate Christmas a little early this year when Santa's elves (primate keepers) present food-filled gift boxes to the zoo's chimpanzees, orangutans, mandrills and gibbons on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m.

Zoo volunteers solicited boxes, while keepers and zoo veterinarians planned the contents. Treats include dry cereal, raisins and other dried fruit. The gift boxes were wrapped with paper made of non-toxic materials and non-adhesive tape was used.

Presents for Primates has become such a fun activity for the keepers and volunteers that the idea has expanded to giving cardboard "gingerbread houses" to the animals. Web visitors can watch last year's Presents for Primates enrichment activities at http://www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Primates.htm.

The original idea was from one of the keepers. In the houses for the primates, keepers have cut holes for windows or made windows and doors that open. This provides a place for the keepers to place treats to encourage foraging behaviors. The cardboard houses also provide all the animals with opportunities to control something in their environment, even if it is the opportunity to "deconstruct" the item.

Enrichment activities, such as these gift boxes and gingerbread houses, are used to encourage natural hunting and foraging behaviors. This is the fifth year that the primates have received boxed and wrapped food items for the holidays, but providing enrichment is a routine task for zookeepers. The Oregon Zoo is known internationally for its enrichment programs, and zoo staff anticipate lots of playful, predatory and otherwise interesting activity from the animals.

The other primates (zoo visitors) can enjoy the holiday season during the zoo's 19th annual ZooLights, which runs through Dec. 31. Decorated with nearly a million holiday lights, ZooLights is a family tradition, featuring illuminated life-size animal silhouettes, trees, buildings, walkways and the zoo train. Gates are open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, with costumed characters and elves greeting visitors. In addition to the light displays, the event features seasonal culinary treats, and hundreds of music and dance groups. The zoo's Cascade Grill also offers a holiday buffet Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Cascade Outfitters gift shop will be open for holiday shopping and will also feature an eco-friendly Artists' Corner throughout the event.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- In the U.S., more than 150 million people use cell phones, and 40 million of those people replace their cell phones annually. Many old phones are lying around in desk drawers or are thrown away, eventually ending up in landfills where toxic materials from the phones -- such as arsenic, cadmium and lead -- can pollute our environment.

Beginning Nov. 24, Oregon Zoo volunteers invite visitors to bring their old cell phones and accessories to the zoo's reception office for carefree recycling. The project helps keep toxic materials from ending up in the waste stream, and is also a fund raiser for the volunteers.

"Our volunteers care deeply about wildlife and the environment," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "By recycling old cell phones, our volunteers are fulfilling part of their mission to inspire our community to create a better future for wildlife."

Zoo volunteers are working with Kentucky-based ECO-CELL (www.eco-cell.org), a company that pays organizations for collecting used cell phones (working or not), batteries and accessories, all of which are recycled under strict EPA guidelines by certified recyclers.

"Those old phones are worth money that our volunteers will use to help the zoo," said Vecchio. "One hundred percent of all funds raised will go toward our future exhibits."

ECO-CELL partners with many other conservation organizations, such as the Diann Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Zoo Atlanta, the Toronto Zoo, volunteers for the Philadelphia Zoo, and the San Diego Zoo.

"This effort is a real win-win," said Vecchio. "Our dedicated volunteers are helping save our environment, and helping make the zoo a better place. We're lucky to have them."

The zoo's cell-phone recycling effort coincides with the opening of ZooLights, which runs Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. During this annual holiday tradition, the zoo is transformed into a winter wonderland, with nearly a million holiday lights decorating life-size animal silhouettes, trees, buildings, walkways and the zoo train. This year, the tradition aims to be even more eco-friendly, with displays featuring a half million LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, which use only a fraction of the energy of conventional bulbs.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Zoo visitors can take a whimsical trip back to their childhood on the zoo's newest thrill ride, "Kid Coaster." The feature, produced by SimEx-Iwerks, runs Nov. 25-Dec. 31 during ZooLights hours. The ride requires a $3 ticket in addition to regular ZooLights admission. ZooLights is closed Dec. 24 and 25.

"Kid Coaster" captures the essence and exhilaration of being a child, returning riders to a time when their room was their own private adventure.

The ride plunges down steep inclines, and careens over a racecourse that spirals up to the ceilings and back down again. Watch out for the giant fly!

"You feel like you're in the movie 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'!" said Carmen Hannold, Oregon Zoo deputy director. "It's like you're inside those tiny cars on a toy race track."

More than 350,000 people have experienced the zoo's simulation theater since it premiered in May 2003, generating more than $1.2 million for many conservation and education programs at the zoo.

"Kid Coaster" plays 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. Due to the limited number of seats, a maximum of 800 visitors per evening are able to experience the ride.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The debut of the Oregon Zoo's endangered ocelot kitten is happening sooner than expected. The baby boy will make his first public appearance in mid-December instead of January. That's the good news. The bad news is that he's still nameless.

Keepers have chosen their three favorite names and are now seeking the public's help in making the final decision. The three names they have chosen for the online vote are (drum roll, please):

- Rio (meaning river or laugh in Spanish or Portuguese)

- Mo (short for monkey, because the kitten lives in the zoo's Primate Building, which has been expanded to include species in South America and the Amazon)

- Bonito ( meaning beautiful or pretty in Spanish)

To cast your vote for your favorite name, please go to http://www.oregonzoo.org/Voter/vote_form.cfm.
All votes must be submitted by Monday, Dec. 18.

Alice and Ralph were born in 1993 at zoos located in São Paulo, Brazil. Ralph made his debut in August and Alice stayed in an off-exhibit holding space specially designed for expectant mothers. When the baby was born, Alice kept him out of sight in her birthing den.

"Mom continues to be very protective of her baby," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "The little guy is becoming bolder every day. I know our visitors will absolutely love seeing him play with his mother. He's an absolute charmer. His antics will be great fun to watch."

Ralph, Alice and the kitten belong to the southern Brazilian species, Leopardus pardalis mitis, which inhabits the tropical and subtropical forests of southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Since 2002, the Oregon Zoo has been working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Brazilian Ocelot Consortium and the government of Brazil to play a role in the ocelot's survival. It was determined several years ago that North American zoos' ocelot population should be replaced by a genetically defined subspecies -- the Brazilian ocelot. The Oregon Zoo is one of 10 U.S. zoos involved with the consortium.

For centuries, ocelots have been hunted for their fur. During the 1960s and '70s, more than 200,000 of the cats were taken each year. Ocelots were placed on the endangered species list in 1982. It is now illegal to hunt them in the United States. Ocelots are normally associated with South America, but can also be found in Texas and Arizona.

Ocelots weigh approximately 20 pounds and are known to climb trees and even swim well. However, they spend most of their time hunting on the ground.

"Our new baby is a charismatic ambassador for his species," said Vecchio. "He's educating people about the importance of saving these rare cats -- and their ever-shrinking habitats."

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kourtney Kuiper of Eagle Creek, Ore., recently returned from Churchill, Canada, after spending 11 days studying polar bears and learning about their plight. She was one of 14 teenagers from around the world working closely with scientists in the field during the polar bear migration as an "Ambassador of the Arctic."

Kuiper, a volunteer in the Oregon Zoo's ZooTeen program, applied for the Polar Bear Science Leadership camp through Polar Bears International, because she was interested in learning more about the effects of global warming on polar bears and what everyday citizens can do to help.

"I'm much more educated about the impact global warming is having, not only in the Arctic, but all over the globe if things don't change this century," stated Kuiper.

When asked what she was surprised to learn, Kuiper explained, "A lot of people think animals can adapt quickly to changes in their environment like global warming, but they can't. Arctic surroundings are changing at such a fast rate that there might not be polar bears one hundred years from now."

Global warming affects glaciers and ice sheets, global sea level, species distribution and extinctions, and the frequency and intensity of droughts, heat waves and possibly hurricanes. Over the past 25 years, the summer sea-ice melt period has lengthened, and the summer sea-ice cover has declined by more than a half million square miles.

Polar Bears. © Oregon Zoo

Polar bears' diet consists almost exclusively of seals even though they are not aquatic; their only access to seals is from the surface of the sea ice. Because of their dependence upon the sea ice, temperature changes directly affect the carrying capacity of the Arctic for polar bears.

"The effects of global warming can steadily be fixed," Kuiper stated, "but we need to start now or we will lose animals like polar bears. There are a lot of things people can do to help, like driving less and using public transportation, using compact fluorescent light bulbs, recycling and supporting environmental groups or causes through donations and volunteer work."

"I'm just looking forward to doing anything I can do to help!" said Kuiper enthusiastically.

This was PBI's third annual science leadership camp. Past participants have traveled from Australia, Germany, Japan and the United States. The camp allows students to interact with classmates at home and keep an online journal throughout their journey to share their experience with others. After the camp, participants create an action plan to educate and raise awareness in their schools and communities about issues in the Arctic tundra and problems for the polar bear.

PBI sponsors the teens while in Canada; the Oregon ZooGuides, a dedicated team of adult volunteers, sponsored the cost of Kuiper's plane ticket to Winnipeg.

"Although all of this is volunteer, it's definitely a priceless experience that money could never buy," said Kuiper.

To learn more about Kuiper's Arctic polar bear adventure, check out her journal at: http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/student-journals/kourtney-kuiper/

PBI is a nonprofit organization founded in 1992 by Dan Guravich, a wildlife photographer internationally renowned for his work with polar bears. The organization works to conserve the world's polar bears through research and education.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Animals at the Oregon Zoo will celebrate Thanksgiving a day early. Meerkats will tear apart large, turkey-shaped piñatas, while polar bears feast on layered pumpkin "pie" on Wednesday, Nov. 22, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The turkey-shaped piñatas and layered pumpkin "pie" serve as enrichment for the animals. The zoo uses enrichment, a tool used to keep animals mentally stimulated, to encourage natural hunting and foraging behaviors.

According to Tony Vecchio, zoo director, "Animal Enrichment is very important to the health and well-being of the animal; however, it is often done behind the scenes. This opportunity allows visitors to watch animals interact with their Thanksgiving treats."

Other Thanksgiving activities at the zoo include the Turkey Trot, Nov. 23. The Oregon Road Runners Club organizes this annual Thanksgiving Day event for runners and walkers of all ages. A portion of the proceeds goes to fund animal care and conservation programs at the zoo. The zoo's Cascade Grill will offer traditional Thanksgiving foods like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, in addition to their regular menu.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- One of the Oregon Zoo's favorite holiday attractions is even more eco-friendly this year. The 2006 ZooLights display will feature 478,000 LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, which use only a fraction of the energy of conventional bulbs.

"Few visitors will even notice the difference," said Russell Guinn, the zoo's event technical coordinator. "LEDs give off a slightly different glow, but they are just as beautiful as standard holiday lights." And, Guinn notes, LEDs do not fade and lose their color over time. Since the diodes themselves create the colors, rather than painted bulbs, old LED strings remain as bright and colorful as the day they were purchased.

The zoo has been using LEDs for its ZooLights displays since 2001, and continues to add more each year, replacing its conventional bulbs. LEDs use only about 1 percent of the power of standard (C7) holiday lights, and about 10 percent of the power in mini-lights. About 85,000 LEDs have been added for this year's festival, including 2,000 of the C9 LEDs - a first for the zoo.

"In the past, an animated display may have used standard C9 lights, which used a whopping 18,000 watts of energy," said Guinn. "That same display, replacing the old lights with the new C9 LEDs, will use only 144 watts of energy. That's an incredible difference."

These eco-friendly displays should also save energy for ZooLights crew members, who won't spend nearly as much time replacing lights and troubleshooting dark strings. With traditional lights -- as many a home decorator knows from experience -- when one bulb goes out, the entire string goes with it. But LEDs don't burn out the way traditional bulbs do -- in fact, they should last as long as the wires, making for very durable light strings. In addition, LEDs are not removable from their strings, making them "practically kid-proof," according to Guinn.

"Previously, there was absolutely no way to prevent teenagers from taking bulbs out of strings, and darkening a whole set," he said.

Zoo visitors can enjoy the holiday season during the zoo's 19th annual ZooLights, Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. Decorated with nearly a million holiday lights, ZooLights is a family tradition, which features life-sized animal silhouettes, trees, buildings, walkways, and the zoo train.

ZooLights is presented by The Boeing Company and co-sponsored by KOIN 6, Clear Channel Portland and United Rentals. To preview the zoo's holiday light display, visit http://www.oregonzoo.org/Events/ZooLights/preview.htm.

Gates open at 5 p.m. nightly with costumed characters and elves greeting visitors. In addition to the light displays, the event features pettable pygmy goats, conservation-themed puppet shows, an eco-friendly artists market, seasonal culinary treats, and hundreds of music and dance groups.

ZooLights package tickets, which include admission and a train ride, are $9.50 for adults (12-64), $8 for seniors (65 and older), $6.50 for children (3-11), and free for children under 3. Cascade Grill also offers a nightly holiday buffet for $14.95 (adults) and $8.95 (children). A parking fee of $1 per car is also required.