Oregon Zoo August 2007 Press Releases

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

August 2007

August 28 - Oregon Zoo Releases Record Number of Threatened Butterflies
August 27 - Tradition and Taste Converge at Zoo's 'Dine & Discover'
August 24 - 'Wild Life Live' Soars into September at the Oregon Zoo
August 21 - Last Chance to See 'Winged Wonders' at Oregon Zoo
August 10 - Rodrigo Y Gabriela Spice It Up at the Oregon Zoo
August 9 - Holmes Brothers Blend Blues, Gospel at Oregon Zoo
August 8 - Dinosaurs Roar Back To Life at the Oregon Zoo
August 7 - Endangered Washington Turtles Released In Columbia Gorge
August 1 - Keb' Mo' And Robert Cray Bring The Blues To The Zoo
August 1 - Grey Wolf Euthanized At Oregon Zoo

August 28, 2007
OREGON ZOO RELEASES RECORD NUMBER OF THREATENED BUTTERFLIES
Oregon silverspot on brink of extinction, but zoo and Nature Conservancy hope to bring it back

PORTLAND, Ore. -- In an effort to save the threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly from extinction, the Oregon Zoo and its conservation partners have released more than 500 rare butterfly pupae at three sites on the Oregon coast. This year's butterfly rearing program has been the most successful in the zoo's nine-year history of rearing threatened and endangered butterflies. The zoo hopes these efforts will help stabilize the declining population.

"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, Lewis and Clark College, the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we hope to stabilize the butterfly population and bring it back from the brink."

After a year of care, the zoo released the butterfly pupae at the Nature Conservancy's 280-acre Cascade Head Preserve, north of Lincoln City, Ore., where they will emerge as butterflies. The zoo has also released butterfly pupae on U.S. Forest Service land at Rock Creek and Bray Point, south of Newport, Ore.

This year, student butterfly interns continue to help staff rear threatened and endangered butterflies, including the Mardon skipper, the Taylor's checkerspot and the Oregon silverspot. It requires hundreds of hours and dozens of interns and staff to help feed and clean the thousands of butterfly pupae.

"It really takes the whole zoo village to raise these animals and build public awareness about them," said Mary Jo Andersen, zoo butterfly conservationist. "In addition to feeding and watering them every day, we have to keep their enclosures clean and make sure they are never too wet or too dry."

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 since 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.

Each year, female silverspot butterflies are collected from Cascade Head and induced to lay eggs at the Oregon Zoo's butterfly-breeding facility. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae (caterpillars), which are kept in refrigerators over the winter.

"Each larva is only about one millimeter long when it hatches," said Andersen. "They look like tiny specks, but when you observe them under a microscope, you can see that they are perfect miniature caterpillars."

According to Vecchio, butterfly populations throughout North America are in decline, with 23 species listed as either endangered or threatened. To address this problem, the Oregon Zoo has supported the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Butterfly Conservation Initiative, which involves 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.

"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."

Zoo visitors can learn more about endangered and threatened butterfly species at the zoo's Winged Wonders exhibit which runs through Labor Day 2007. The popular walk-through butterfly exhibit is open daily at 10 a.m., and admission is $2 in addition to the zoo entrance fee. A portion of the proceeds from Winged Wonders helps fund the zoo's butterfly education and conservation efforts.

August 27, 2007
TRADITION AND TASTE CONVERGE AT ZOO'S 'DINE & DISCOVER'
Oregon Zoo director entertains and educates guests in first of three dinner events

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Historic delicacies such as salmon Wellington and the famous Sacher-Torte are among the tasty treats to be served during the first installment of the Oregon Zoo's Dine & Discover series, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m. in the zoo's Vista Room.

During the meal, Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio discusses "The Evolution of Mammals," treating guests to a whirlwind time-trip through millions of years as he traces the development of mammals from the early Jurassic period through the present.

"Understanding our animals' history and where they come from is an important tool in caring for them today," said Vecchio. "It allows us to provide the animals with the best care possible."

A traditionally tantalizing multicourse feast, created by the zoo's executive chef, Paul Warner, will accompany Vecchio's discussion. The menu, designed specifically for this Dine & Discover event, includes a variety of savory appetizers straight from Chef Paul's historical recipes collection, followed by a grilled pear and cheddar salad with Waldorf dressing and glazed walnuts. The entrée features a classic salmon and mushroom Wellington with tarragon butter, spinach timbales and wild rice with cranberries. For dessert: willpower-testing chocolate Sacher-Torte with apricot sauce and Chantilly cream.

Dine & Discover is a series of three intimate food-and-wine experiences representing regions from around the world and fascinating animals. Each evening starts with a reception featuring delectable appetizers. The meal is a masterpiece of regional fare created by Warner and is accompanied by a presentation from a zoo staff member or guest speaker.

The Dine & Discover series continues on Nov. 14 and Feb. 14.

The cost for each Dine & Discover evening is $75 per person, or $500 per table of eight. Cost for the complete series is $200 per person. Seating is limited to those with reservations. For reservations, call 503-220-2492 or e-mail kris.terich@oregonzoo.org. Guests must be 21 or older.

Proceeds from this year's Dine & Discover series go toward the zoo's Predators of the Serengeti exhibit, coming in 2009.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- While summer unofficially ends with the Labor Day weekend, the animals with the Wild Life Live show keep the fun going. Shows continue at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through September, and daily during the zoo's World Animal Festival, Sept. 29 through Oct. 7. The shows are free with zoo admission.

Wild Life Live, presented by Portland General Electric, features majestic birds such as hawks and eagles, which swoop between perches and make dramatic take-offs and landings, coming within a few feet of spectators, and sometimes closer. Audiences experience the birds flying, eating carrion and hunting during the show.

All shows are weather dependent.

Wild Life Live's mission is to inspire people to appreciate the wonders of nature through educational and entertaining programs, and Show Coordinator Tanya Paul enjoys inspiring the audience.

"Wild Life Live provides unique opportunities for people to connect with animals," said Paul. "The free-flight bird shows encourage the audience to discover wildlife. Once you've learned about wildlife, you can't help but gain appreciation for it."

August 21, 2007
LAST CHANCE TO SEE 'WINGED WONDERS' AT OREGON ZOO
Zoo's popular butterfly exhibit to close after Labor Day

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The days become shorter, the air becomes crisper and the leaves begin to change color. As summer comes to a close, so does the Oregon Zoo's popular Winged Wonders exhibit, sponsored by HomeStreet Bank as part of its Wild About Zoos program. Visitors have until 6 p.m. Labor Day to watch the zoo's bedazzling tropical butterflies flit and flutter through their exhibit. Winged Wonders will not be reopening next summer.

More than 450 Central and South American butterflies are on display, and a special emphasis this year encourages zoo visitors to create or enhance their own backyard habitats.

"The exhibit has been a phenomenal success," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "It's surprising how such small and delicate creatures can have such a huge impact on our visitors."

As visitors wind through the butterfly habitat, the colorful creatures sometimes land on them. From Nicaragua's glittering blue morpho to the orange-polka-dotted Grecian shoemaker of southern Brazil, the butterflies surround the guests. Other butterflies on exhibit are native to Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Amazon Basin.

Just before leaving the exhibit, visitors can view dozens of pupae as they develop and grow. The newly emerged butterflies are released into the exhibit. Visitors can learn more about butterflies at the exhibit's interpretive center, where hands-on activities show how a butterfly uses its senses of sight, smell and taste.

Even though this is the last summer for the Winged Wonders exhibit, visitors can still invite butterflies and other wildlife to their own backyards by planting native plants. Creating sanctuaries in urban areas helps slow habitat loss, which is the foremost threat to wildlife today.

"Only through the public's efforts to make their backyards into more suitable wildlife habitats will butterflies continue to astonish us with their delicate beauty," says Vecchio.

"Butterfly lovers should avoid the use of pesticides to make the environment less hostile to other creatures," he suggests. "If a garden is good for butterflies, it's also good for birds and other wildlife."

The butterfly exhibit, as well as the zoo-wide "Habitat Begins at Home" campaign, complement Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods initiative, a region-wide conservation effort that brings people and government together to ensure a healthy urban ecosystem.

The Winged Wonders exhibit also highlights the zoo's conservation efforts on behalf of two Oregon butterfly species, the Fender's blue and the Oregon silverspot. The zoo is a charter member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' butterfly conservation initiative, which includes nearly 50 national zoos and aquariums. The zoo and AZA are committed to butterfly conservation. A portion of the proceeds from the butterfly exhibit helps support the zoo's butterfly education and conservation efforts. To learn more about butterflies, please visit http://www.oregonzoo.org/Butterfly/moreinfo.htm

Winged Wonders is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. Admission to the exhibit is $2, in addition to the zoo entrance fee. The exhibit is located near the concert lawn, across the railroad tracks. To view video of the butterfly exhibit, please visit: http://www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/WingedWonders.htm

August 10, 2007
RODRIGO Y GABRIELA SPICE IT UP AT THE OREGON ZOO
Heavy metal/Latin duo Rodrigo y Gabriela perform Aug. 31 at the zoo

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Blending together ingredients for a spicy Latin dish? Don't forget to add a dash of heavy metal. Rodrigo y Gabriela serve up their unforgettable combination of Latin music and metal at the Oregon Zoo Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer.

"Rodrigo y Gabriela" hardly sounds like the name of an Irish metal band -- but while Rodrigo (Sanchez) and Gabriela (Quintero) are Mexican and play acoustic guitars, the duo, now based in Dublin, still channels the blazing guitar riffs and arena-rock ambitions of the metal bands they grew up listening to. Gabriela's flamenco-infused percussive guitar technique, and Rodrigo's fast-fingered guitar melodies, combine to create a musical style that pushes the envelope.

"Rodrigo y Gabriela are more than a tribute to heavy metal or Latin music," said Krista Swan, event coordinator. "Their instrumental experimentation has produced a unique blend that goes above and beyond the boundaries of either genre."

Rodrigo y Gabriela have played alongside Damien Rice, an early fan of the duo, and acts as diverse as Courtney Pine, the Buena Vista Social Club and Murray Lachlan Young. Their debut album beat out both the Arctic Monkeys and Johnny Cash to reach No. 1 on the Irish charts, and their spring American tour sold out venues around the country.

To see a video of Rodrigo y Gabriela performing Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," please visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Concerts/RodrigoYGabriela.htm

Tickets for the Rodrigo y Gabriela show can be purchased at the Oregon Zoo for $18. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) at all TicketsWest ticket outlets or by calling TicketsWest at 503-224-8499. For more information on the concert schedule, to read artists' biographies or purchase tickets, please visit www.oregonzoo.org/Concerts/index.htm

The Oregon Zoo has brought outdoor music to Portland for more than 25 years. In 1979, the zoo became the first zoo in the nation to host a summer concert series. Since then, the series has become one of the top outdoor events in the Northwest, and is the region's longest-running outdoor series.

Wells Fargo has sponsored the series since 1996. This is Fred Meyer's second year as a presenting sponsor of the series. This year's series is also co-sponsored by KINK fm 102 and Willamette Week.

August 9, 2007
HOLMES BROTHERS BLEND BLUES, GOSPEL AT OREGON ZOO
Blues brothers bring their intricate, soulful harmonies to the zoo, Aug. 29

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Coming off the release of their 10th album, "State of Grace," earlier this year, the Holmes Brothers bring their soulful harmonies and unique vocal interpretations to the Oregon Zoo on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m., as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer.

Brothers Wendell (bass) and Sherman Holmes (guitar/piano) and friend Popsy Dixon (drums) cook up the perfect blend of Southern-fried blues, gospel fervor, roadhouse rock, pop, country and more.

"All are expert musicians," says Krista Swan, Oregon Zoo event coordinator, "but it's their vocal interplay, their spine-tingling harmonies, that have led reviewers to call them 'mind-blowing.'"

Because of their unique approach to blues, the Holmes Brothers have been called the best interpretive band working today, covering everyone from the Beatles to Cheap Trick to Hank Williams, and collaborating with artists such as Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Roseanne Cash and Joan Osborne.

This year's "State of Grace" proves the band isn't slowing down despite close to 30 years together. Born and raised in Christchurch, Va., Sherman and Wendell Holmes grew up listening to traditional Baptist hymns and blues musicians such as Jimmy Reed, Junior Parker and B.B. King. After moving to New York City and playing in various bands, the brothers teamed up with drummer Popsy Dixon to form the Holmes Brothers in 1979.

To see a video of the Holmes Brothers performing "Close the Door and Walk Away" please visit:
http://www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Concerts/HolmesBrothers.htm

This year, the zoo is once again selling 1,000 tickets for each of its World Music Wednesday concerts in advance. Advance tickets for the Holmes Brothers concert are available (with service charge) at www.ticketswest.com, at all TicketsWest ticket outlets, and by calling TicketsWest at 503-224-8499. They may also be purchased at the zoo with no service charge. Once 1,000 tickets have been sold, concertgoers can only purchase tickets at the zoo after 4 p.m. on the day of the performance. Tickets are $9.75 and include zoo admission.

Zoo membership at the Plus level includes free admission to all Wednesday concerts and daily visits to the zoo.

The Oregon Zoo has brought outdoor music to Portland for more than 25 years. In 1979, the zoo became the first zoo in the nation to host a summer concert series. Since then, the series has become one of the top outdoor events in the Northwest, and is the region's longest-running outdoor series. Wells Fargo has sponsored the series since 1996. This is Fred Meyer's second year as a presenting sponsor of the series. The series is co-sponsored by KINK fm 102 and Willamette Week.

For more information on the concert schedule, to read artists' biographies or to purchase tickets, please visit www.oregonzoo.org

August 8, 2007
DINOSAURS ROAR BACK TO LIFE AT THE OREGON ZOO
Life-size dinosaurs debut next summer -- and the zoo needs your help!

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Towering dinosaurs surround you. One of them, a tyrannosaurus rex, greets you with a ferocious roar. No, he won't eat you. These fearsome creatures are part of the Oregon Zoo's new dinosaur exhibit, scheduled to open in May 2008.

More than 20 animatronic dinosaurs are set to arrive next summer, and the zoo is asking the public to help choose which prehistoric beasts should be featured in the exhibit. Visitors to the zoo's Web site can vote for their favorites among a variety of dinosaurs, from the flesh-eating tyrannosaurus to the plant-eating stegosaurus and the fish-eating baryonyx.

To vote and check out the possibilities, visit www.oregonzoo.org/dinos and take the online survey.

Each dinosaur is built on a steel frame and covered with intricately painted foam-rubber skin. State-of-the-art electronics and air pistons power the dinosaurs' movements, making them remarkably lifelike.

"These realistic dinosaurs will send chills down your spine," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "When people hear the roar of a T. rex or allosaurus, they'll be searching for a place to hide."

The exhibit trail will be located in a lush, tropical setting, similar to the ones dinosaurs once inhabited.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon Zoo is releasing 50 endangered western pond turtles (Clemmys marmorata) back to the wild with the help of local Columbia River Gorge summer campers.

The turtles have spent the past 10 months under lights, which simulate perpetual summer.

"The lights trick the turtles into thinking that it's still summer so they don't go into hibernation," according to Dr. David Shepherdson, Oregon Zoo's conservation program scientist. "The turtles grow and grow, experiencing three years' growth in 10 months."

Once the turtles reach a suitable size of about 70 grams (a little more than 2 ounces), they are returned to their homes and monitored for safety.

"By releasing larger turtles, predators such as non-native bullfrogs and large-mouth bass are no longer threats," says Shepherdson.

The turtle reintroduction effort is part of a collaborative effort among Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As part of the Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project, conservation scientists "head-start" newly hatched turtles gathered from wild sites, nurturing them at both zoos for about 10 months.

"Caring for the turtles at the zoo for the first months of life gives them a real edge," explains Shepherdson. "Woodland Park Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been working to save Washington's western pond turtles for 14 years. We're glad that we could provide additional assistance in helping save these highly endangered turtles."

Thirty children from around Skamania County, Wash., will watch the release in the Columbia River Gorge.

"It is one thing to learn about conservation efforts, but it makes a much bigger impact when you actually see a zoo-reared turtle released back into the wilds of the Columbia Gorge," says Shepherdson.

The students are involved in a Northwest Service Academy summer program called "Forest Explorers," and are learning about environmental ecology and the importance of stewardship.

An Oregon Zoo conservationist releases an endangered western pond turtle into the wild. On Aug. 9, the zoo will release 50 turtles, which have spent the past 10 months growing large enough to avoid being eaten by non-native bullfrogs and large-mouth bass.
© Oregon Zoo

"By going out to the release site, the kids will experience firsthand how habitat restoration and natural environments are vital to help give the turtles the best chance for survival," said Debi Budnick, education and outreach coordinator for the Columbia River Gorge Conservation Project.

Just a decade ago, western pond turtles were on the verge of completely dying out in Washington, with only 150 turtles left in the wild. Today, researchers estimate there are more than 1,000. Habitat degradation and disease were, and still are, problems, but the biggest threat to fragile baby turtles is the bullfrog. Native to areas east of the Rockies, this nonindigenous frog has thrived throughout the West, driving pond turtles and a host of other small, vulnerable aquatic species to the brink of extinction.

Another non-native threat to western pond turtle survival is the red-eared slider. Sliders are native to the same range as the bullfrog and are winning the survival race against the native turtles. The sliders lay eggs later in the season and dig up existing turtle nests and use them for their own.

To help restore these rare pond turtles to their natural habitat, recovery workers take to the field each year. Under the supervision of western pond turtle expert Kate Slavens, they count, trap and fit transmitters on adult female western pond turtles. The female turtles are monitored every two hours during the nesting season to determine where they nest. The nests, which the females dig in the ground and then cover after depositing their 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. Unlike wild turtles, zoo turtles are fed throughout the winter, so by their summer release, the 10-month-olds are approximately as big as 3-year-old turtles.

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. Scientists tracking the released turtles estimate that 95 percent of the turtles released back into the Columbia River Gorge have survived.

Now listed as an endangered species in Washington 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 Recovery Project is funded through The Oregon Zoo Foundation's Future for Wildlife conservation fund.

The Oregon Zoo is also helping turtles in Oregon. Working with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the zoo helped establish the Turtles of the Willamette Valley conservation group, which helps field biologists monitor and track populations of western pond and western painted turtles in and around the Willamette River. The group created a Web site to educate the public about the plight of the native Oregon turtles, www.willametteturtles.com The site includes an electronic form that allows the public to report turtle sightings to ODFW and the Oregon Zoo, which aids both agencies in the tracking process.

August 1, 2007
KEB' MO' AND ROBERT CRAY BRING THE BLUES TO THE ZOO
Grammy-winning blues greats set to perform Aug. 25 at the Oregon Zoo

PORTLAND, Ore. -- What does five Grammys plus three Grammys equal? One heck of a good concert. Keb' Mo' and Robert Cray -- two contemporary blues masters with eight Grammys between them -- perform Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo, as part of the Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer.

"The chance to see both of these incredible performers on one stage is too much to pass up," says Krista Swan, event coordinator. "They've both accomplished so much individually that seeing them together should be a real treat."

Keb' Mo' got his start in the backing band of violinist Papa John Creach (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship) after Creach had heard his Compton band jamming in a practice space.

More than just a blues great, Mo's talent for genre-hopping is apparent on his resume -- he has worked with artists as diverse as B.B. King, Santana, Los Lonely Boys, Taj Mahal and Elvis Costello.

His latest album, "Suitcase," recorded in Malibu's storied Shangri-La studios, ranges from straightforward blues to reggae beats and jazzy soul.

"Robert Cray may be an international superstar these days, but his initial success started right here in our home state," says Swan. "It's great to have him return to Oregon to play at the zoo."

The five-time Grammy winner kick-started his career in Eugene in the 1970s, when he formed the Crayhawks with vocalist Curtis Salgado.

By his third album, Cray was snagging opening slots on tours with John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton.

His latest release (and first live album), "Live From Across the Pond," is the perfect starting point for any Cray initiate, and a must-have for any true fan. Culled from seven straight nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, the album showcases Cray's masterful approach to songwriting and reinvention of blues classics.

Tickets for the Keb' Mo' and Robert Cray show can be purchased at the Oregon Zoo for $22 each. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) at all TicketsWest ticket outlets or by calling TicketsWest at 503-224-8499. For more information on the concert schedule, to read artists' biographies or purchase tickets, please visit www.oregonzoo.org

The Oregon Zoo has brought outdoor music to Portland for more than 25 years. In 1979, the zoo became the first zoo in the nation to host a summer concert series. Since then, the series has become one of the top outdoor events in the Northwest, and is the region's longest-running outdoor series.

Wells Fargo has sponsored the series since 1996. This is Fred Meyer's second year as a presenting sponsor of the series. This year's series is also co-sponsored by KINK fm 102 and Willamette Week.

August 1, 2007
GREY WOLF EUTHANIZED AT OREGON ZOO
Seizures lead to discovery of brain tumor in 'bad dog' of the pack

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kira, a 12-year-old female grey wolf at the Oregon Zoo, was euthanized Saturday, July 28. According to zoo veterinarian Mitch Finnegan, Kira had suffered seizures earlier in the month.

"We examined her after the first seizure and ruled out any of the readily identifiable causes of seizures in geriatric canids," said Finnegan. "She had another observed seizure last week, so we took her in to get an MRI scan of her brain on Saturday. The scan showed a large tumor in the left side of her brain."

Kira lapsed into a coma following the MRI, and the decision was made to euthanize her.

Born in April 1995 at Wolf Park in Battleground, Ind., Kira and two other pups arrived at Oregon Zoo in June 1995.

Finnegan described Kira as the "bad dog," of the pack.

"Despite -- or maybe because of -- her small size and her poor vision, she was a force to be reckoned with," said Finnegan. "She dominated the other female, and could give the male, and even the keepers a run for their money at times."

"Kira was always the smallest wolf in our pack and we were amazed when she emerged as the dominant of the three," said Anna Michel, a member of the zoo's wolf team. "She could be hard on the other wolves, but always seemed to enjoy time spent with the keepers. I worked with her for all of her 12 years and I'll miss her very much."

Michel and the other members of the zoo's wolf team will continue to socialize with the remaining wolves and keep track of their reactions.

"We aren't sure how life will change for them," Michel said, "but we expect it to be a little more relaxed."

Grey wolves are an endangered species, and have an average life span of 15 years in captivity.