Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR - www.oregonzoo.org
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Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR - www.oregonzoo.org |
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Atishwin the California condor, Kiku the colobus monkey and Packy the Asian elephant are this year's Zoo Father of the Year contenders. An on-line ballot featuring photos and short biographies of the zoo dads is posted on the zoo's Web site. Photos by Michael Durham© Oregon Zoo |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- It's time for dads to take center stage, and the Oregon Zoo wants your help in choosing its Zoo Father of the Year for 2008. Atishwin the California condor, Kiku the colobus monkey and Packy the Asian elephant are this year's honored contenders. An on-line ballot featuring photos and short biographies of the zoo dads is posted on the zoo's Web site: www.oregonzoo.org/Voter/vote_form.cfm.
"We just finished a campaign for Zoo Mother of the Year, and found it was a fun way to initiate a relationship between the public and the highlighted animals," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "As the public reads about the nominees, all of which belong to species that are either threatened or endangered, we hope they'll come to understand and care about the challenges facing these animals in the wild."
On-line votes will be accepted until 5 p.m. Thursday, June 12. The zoo will announce its 2008 Zoo Father of the Year Friday, June 13, at 10 a.m.
May 22, 2008
RARE CONDOR CHICK GETS HELP HATCHING, RECEIVES LIFE-SAVING BLOOD TRANSFUSION
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A California condor chick struggling to survive following an assisted hatch May 7 at the Oregon Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation. The chick was in jeopardy, until staff provided a life-saving blood transfusion. Photo by Michael Durham © Oregon Zoo
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- After a week of antibiotics and a blood transfusion from adult condor Nootka, Oregon Zoo staff is pleased to report that the newest zoo addition, an endangered California condor chick, has seemingly turned the corner and is getting stronger.
In the early hours of May 7, zoo staff worked feverishly to hatch the underweight and shell-bound bird. Monitoring the egg at the zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, keepers determined it would not be able to hatch alone. Fearing the chick would suffocate, they stepped in and helped, a worst-case scenario for them. The chick was removed from the nesting room and immediately transferred to an indoor facility, where keepers broke away part of the shell and removed the chick.
"The hatch went well, but it was an extremely small chick, our lowest hatch-weight yet," said Condor Curator Shawn St. Michael. "It is common for chicks to be pretty quiet for the first 24 hours after hatch. It's an exhausting process. But we became concerned when this chick failed to perk up the way we would expect after his rest."
St. Michael and condor keepers provided around-the-clock care, administering antibiotics and enlisting the help of an adult condor, Nootka, for a life-saving blood donation.
"Thanks to the hard work of our staff, this chick is looking good now, and we expect it will be just fine," said St. Michael. "The chick will be puppet-reared by human foster parents and later mentored by another adult condor," he added.
The assisted hatch is the fourth successful hatch of 2008, with one more expected in early June.
To see a video of the condor chick's dramatic assisted hatch, visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/CondorHatch.htm
Photo by Michael Durham © Oregon Zoo |
The Oregon Zoo's condor recovery efforts take place at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, located in rural Clackamas County on Metro-owned open space. The remoteness of the facility minimizes the exposure of young condors to people, increasing the chances for captive-hatched birds to survive and breed in the wild.
The Jonsson Center is currently home to 30 condors. The center has produced 15 eggs since it was established and 14 chicks have hatched.
In 2001, the Oregon Zoo became the third zoo in the nation to join the California Condor Recovery Program. California condor captive-breeding programs are also operated at San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo and the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey. The Oregon Zoo was the recipient of The Wildlife Society's Conservation Award for "creating the nation's fourth California condor breeding facility" in April 2005.
For more information about the Oregon Zoo's California condors, visit http://www.oregonzoo.org/Condors/index.htm. For Oregon Zoo condor biographies, visit http://www.oregonzoo.org/Condors/condorBios.htm.
Condors, the largest land birds in North America, have wingspans of up to 10 feet and weigh 18 to 30 pounds. They are highly intelligent and inquisitive, often engaging in play. During the Pleistocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago, condors' range extended across much of North America. By 1940, that range had been reduced to the coastal mountains of Southern California, and in 1967 condors were added to the first federal list of endangered species. In 1987, the 17 condors remaining in the wild were brought into captivity and a captive-breeding program was developed.
May 21, 2008
ZOO VISITORS CAN HELP SAVE THE RAIN FOREST WITH SPARE CHANGE
Oregon Zoo unveils parking meter devoted to conserving Central American
wildlife
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Spare any change? An ocelot peers out of its exhibit near the
Oregon Zoo's Amazon Flooded Forest. The zoo has installed a Conservation
Parking Meter outside the exhibit, enabling visitors to donate spare change
and help preserve rain-forest habitat in Central America. Photo by Michael
Durham © Oregon Zoo. |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon Zoo has installed a new parking meter, but not in its parking lot. This one is located on zoo grounds and helps protect wildlife in Central America.
The Center for Ecosystem Survival has modified ordinary street parking meters to accept donations of small change to save habitats. Conservation Parking Meters, as they are called, are installed in accredited zoos and aquariums across the country.
"It's a fairly novel idea," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "A donation as small as a quarter can save 90 square feet of tropical rain forest."
Instead of the usual time-remaining display, a brightly colored hummingbird flies across the meter's face whenever someone drops a coin in and turns the dial. And rather than purchasing a few hours of parking time, visitors who use the meter will be helping to preserve rain-forest habitat that is home to countless plant and animal species.
So far, the program has raised more than $2 million to protect rain forests and coral reefs in places such as Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Brazil and Micronesia.
The Oregon Zoo's new parking meter is located outside the ocelot exhibit, near the Amazon Flooded Forest.
The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Washington's pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.
May 20, 2008
OREGON ZOO TAPS LOCAL BREWERY TALENT AT 'ZOO BREW'
Oregon Zoo welcomes second annual Northwest microbrew festival
ZooGuide April Wolstencroft displays a commemorative pint glass
during last year's Zoo Brew at the Oregon Zoo. The zoo hosts the popular
event again on May 30, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. |
PORTLAND, Ore. - Music fills the night and a warm May breeze wafts over the concert lawn as Oregon Zoo patrons sample Northwest artisan microbrews. On May 30, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., zoogoers and beer lovers alike will leave the strain of the city to unwind at the second annual Zoo Brew.
Zoo Brew, an Oregon Zoo brewers' festival, features nearly 25 of he area's best microbrews. Organizers emphasize that this is a tasting event, not a drinking event. In accordance with Oregon state law, no one under 21 may attend.
Sam Bamboo and Pat O'Neal's Dixieland Jazz Band perform on the concert lawn, as attendees sample beers and ales along with food provided by Oregon Zoo Executive Chef Paul Warner.
"The zoo is a magical place in the evening," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Zoo Brew makes for a perfect, relaxing date night."
Admission is $25 in advance or $30 at the door, and includes a commemorative glass and 10 tastings. Additional samples are available for $1 each. Zoo Brew takes place rain or shine. Proceeds from the event help "bring back the roar" of lions, which left the zoo in 1997, and support other ongoing conservation efforts.
The new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit will host the lions, and is set to open in 2009.
Visitors can observe nocturnal creatures such as the ocelot at
their most active during Zoo Brew, May 30, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the
Oregon Zoo. |
"The zoo is such a great venue," said Kris Terich, Oregon Zoo Foundation special events coordinator. "Our guests are transported far from the bustle of downtown Portland. No other Northwest event allows guests to mingle outdoors, try a bunch of fantastic local brews and visit their favorite animals at night."
Participating breweries include Big Sky Brewing Co., BridgePort Brewing Co.,
Deschutes Brewery, Double Mountain Brewing, Fish Brewing Co., Full Sail
Brewing Co., Hair of the Dog Brewing Co., Hopworks Urban Brewery, Kona
Brewing Co., Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, Lompoc Brewing Co. and
Brewery, MacTarnahan's Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing, Pyramid Breweries,
Raccoon Lodge and Brew Pub, Redhook Ale Brewery, Rogue Ales, Trumer Brauerei
and Widmer Brothers Brewing.
Zoo Brew is expected to sell out. Tickets are available at www.ticketswest.com, 503-224-TIXX and all TicketsWest ticket centers. If supplies last, tickets may be available at the door for $30.
For more information, contact Kris Terich at 503-220-2492 or kris.terich@oregonzoo.org.
May 19, 2008
DAIRY FARMERS SPONSOR ANNUAL 'MOO AT THE ZOO'
Get your milk mustache ready and follow the trail to the Oregon Zoo's Family
Farm
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Guests of all ages can observe Oregon Zoo's pygora goats during "Moo at the Zoo," Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Photos by
Michael Durham © Oregon Zoo. |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- How many glasses of milk can a cow produce in one day? What's it like to live on a dairy farm? Guests learn the answers to these questions at "Moo at the Zoo" on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo's Trillium Creek Family Farm.
The event, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon, allows visitors to discover a host of fun facts through interactive exhibits, puppet shows and displays.
"'Moo at the Zoo' is a great way for visitors to learn about Oregon's dairy farm families, who produce some of the best milk in the country," says Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "The milk produced by Oregon's 320 dairy farms consistently ranks in the top five states nationwide for quality."
Throughout the day, Oregon's Dairy Princess Ambassadors will share stories about the lives of dairy cows and the workings of dairy farms. Visitors test their dairy knowledge and have their milk-mustache pictures taken with the Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassadors.
 Photos by Michael Durham © Oregon Zoo. |
Children can receive a free coloring book, popular cow trading cards, "Got milk?" handouts, and tips about healthy eating.
Guests also view pygora goats and Shetland sheep in the zoo's hands-on area.
"Cows will soon become part of the Family Farm exhibit, and 'Moo at the Zoo' highlights the importance of these animals in our Northwest community," says Vecchio. "Cows provide us with the milk we drink, the yogurt we eat and even the cheese topping on our pizza."
"Moo at the Zoo" is fun for visitors of all ages and is free with zoo admission.
Dairy Farmers of Oregon works on behalf of the state's dairy farm families who, with the help of 115,000 dairy cows and 19 Oregon dairy processors, provide award-winning cheeses, milk, butter, and an extensive line of ice cream, sour cream and yogurt. The Oregon dairy industry contributes more than $1 billion to Oregon's economy each year.
May 19, 2008
JUNIOR BROWN'S ROCKABILLY ROCKS OREGON ZOO
Renowned country artist gives the zoo a taste of honky-tonk, June 18
Junior Brown brings an enthusiastic style -- and his guit-steel to
the Oregon Zoo on Wednesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. as part of the summer concert
series presented by Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo. Photo courtesy of Tanya Rae |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- What happens when you cross a standard electric guitar with a steel guitar -- traditional country with classic rock 'n' roll? Such a mixture can only describe the rockabilly tones of Junior Brown, playing Wednesday, June 18, at 7 p.m., as part of the Oregon Zoo Summer Concert Series, presented by Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo.
"Junior Brown is an amazingly versatile country artist who can change style and stage persona from song to song and cadence to cadence," says Krista Swan, zoo event coordinator.
Brown's multifaceted talent is partly due to his invention, the guit-steel, a traditional six-string guitar with a full-size lap-steel lower neck. Not content to physically change guitars on stage, Brown plays the combination with dexterity. "Much like his guit-steel," noted Rolling Stone's Marion Montgomery, "Junior Brown the performer is a double-threat."
The guit-steel was featured on Brown's 1993 debut album, "12 Shades of Brown," a collection of songs showcasing his agile instrumental work. "Guit With It" was released the same year and, like its forerunner, met with much critical acclaim.
Noted for honky-tonk-influenced songs such as "My Wife Thinks You're Dead" and "Venom Wearin' Denim," Brown has released seven albums, the most recent being 2005's "Live at the Continental Club: The Austin Experience."
"Brown has the entertainment background to match his rapid-fire talent," says Swan. "He performs with the jaunty cowboy flair of a true southerner."
To see a video of Brown playing "Highway Patrol," visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Concerts/JuniorBrown.htm.
Tickets for the Junior Brown concert can be purchased at the Oregon Zoo for $10 each. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) online or at Ticketmaster locations at area Fred Meyer stores. 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 30 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.
Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo are the presenting sponsors of the series. This year's series is also co-sponsored by KINK fm 102 and KATU Television.
May 16, 2008
OREGON ZOO CELEBRATES A HALF-CENTURY OF RAILWAY FUN
Zoo railway and its popular Zooliner turn 50 in June
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- All aboard! Saturday, June 14, zoo guests, in the words of "Clickety Clack and the Bandits," a children's book about the Oregon Zoo railway, "click over switch rails and pick up speed to rattle over the slopes." Half a century after the publication of the book, visitors have the opportunity to celebrate the 50th birthday of this remarkable train ride.
At 10 a.m., guests celebrate the Zooliner by attending a birthday ceremony and, at 10:15, eating a slice of birthday cake, created by Lamb's Thriftway. After the celebration, members of the National Railroad Historic Society and Zooliner VIPs take the first ride around the zoo. From 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., zoo visitors ride the historic train, take handcar rides on side railroad tracks, view Zooliner memorabilia, tour the roundhouse, emboss their tickets, and meet the Zooliner crew and railway mascot, Titus the tiger.
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The celebration is also an excellent opportunity to ride through the newly opened dinosaur exhibit. Tickets for the complete Zooliner ride are $5. Guests may also ride the zoo's other trains, the Oregon Express and the Steamer, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.
"We are very proud to celebrate our Zooliner's anniversary," says Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "This train represents a collective effort on the part of the community to make Portland a standout city, and the Oregon Zoo a model institution."
The zoo railway grew out of plans for a children's train that was to be part of Portland's new zoo. Relocated to the current site, the zoo was slated to open in the summer of 1959 during Oregon's centennial celebration. When designs were unveiled for the 30-inch-gauge line, train fans from around the region assisted with suggestions, materials, fund-raising efforts and manual labor.
Schoolchildren sold stock at $1 per share and the zoo sold "Clickety Clack and the Bandits" to help fund construction. The Zooliner was the zoo's first train, and initiated railway operations during the summer of 1958.
A replica of General Motors' futuristic "Aerotrain," the Zooliner features a
165-horsepower engine, transmitter to eight driving wheels through a
hydraulic-type torque converter transmission and spiral gears. Safety
features include a "dead man control" to ease the train to a halt in an
emergency. A governor holds the train to a 12-mph maximum, while a
conventional automatic air-brake system provides safe handling.
The zoo railway's original board of directors was considered one of the most distinguished in the world and included former President Harry S. Truman, Walt Disney, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and the ambassadors of all nations in Washington, D.C.
"Our Zooliner has a strong history for both the zoo and Portland," says Krista Swan, zoo event coordinator. "It's our own 'Little Engine That Could'! This birthday celebration is an exciting event for the whole family."
May 13, 2008
OREGON ZOO WELCOMES 'DINOSAURS!'
Oregon Zoo celebrates the grand opening of its prehistoric exhibit
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A T. rex roars at seven-year-old Andy, an Oregon Zoo visitor who |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- With a prehistoric roar, the Oregon Zoo celebrates the grand opening of "Dinosaurs!" presented by Wells Fargo with activities for the whole family. "Dinosaurs!" opens to the public Saturday, May 17, with fun activities running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 17 and 18.
The Portland Storytellers Guild spins dino tales in the exhibit's rock
amphitheater at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
near the AfriCafé, guests can have their faces painted to resemble their
favorite dinosaurs.
Throughout the day, visitors interact with actors and costumed characters who answer dinosaur questions and pose for photos. Young guests also visit activity stations where they learn how the world's land masses have changed, how to make a fossil rubbing of a prehistoric plant, and what species of ancient bugs still live today. Those up for a challenge can try to spell dino names and win great prizes. Parents can also help their children get in the financial swing of things by playing the Wells Fargo Dinosaur Math & Money Activity.
On the dinosaur path itself, zoogoers experience a trip back in time. Visitors follow a trail through an ancient rain forest, surrounded by lifelike animatronic dinosaurs that roar, snarl and move with realistic ferocity. Along the way, massive footprints signal the proximity of the most fearsome prehistoric predator of all: Tyrannosaurus rex. The path also features activity stations with fossil digs, photo-opportunity spots and identification posts geared to all ages.
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A spitting dilophosaurus waits to ambush its prey along the
dinosaur trail at the Oregon Zoo. "Dinosaurs!" presented by Wells Fargo runs
May 17-Sept. 1, and features 25 animatronic prehistoric creatures that roar,
snarl and move with lifelike ferocity. Photo by Michael Durham © Oregon Zoo |
Among the 25 creatures on display, visitors discover a total of 14
species -- from the impressive brachiosaurus and the fierce T. rex, to the
2-foot-tall compsognathus and the flying pteranodon. Young visitors may
prefer the slow-moving herbivore species, along with several animatronic
baby dinosaurs and dinosaur egg nests.
"T. rex is the star of the show, of course," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Stegosaurus, triceratops, the long-necked sauropods and all the popular carnivores are represented. And some dinosaurs are just so funky that we had to have them -- like the dome-headed pachycephalosaurus."
Each of the dinosaurs 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' grasping hands, menacing claws and gnashing teeth. Strategically placed alternative paths lead parents with younger visitors to activity stations, where they learn what these giants ate, how they cared for their young, what their relationships to other animals were like, possible reasons they became extinct and more.
Admission is $4 plus regular zoo admission. Dinosaurs! presented by Wells Fargo is also sponsored by KPTV Fox 12, KPDX 49, Z100, K103 Portland's Soft Rock, NewsRadio 1190 KEX, Univision-KUNP TV, KXPD LaX Radio and KXPD TV Azteca-America.
To see prehistoric predators along the dinosaur trail, visit
www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/DinosaurTrail.htm.
To see a video of staffers wrangling a ferocious-looking megalosaurus, visit
www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/dinosaursArrive08.htm.
May 9, 2008
KEB' MO', TAJ MAJAL BRING BLUES MAGIC TO THE OREGON ZOO
Influential blues artists conjure powerful music at the zoo, June 22
Keb' Mo' plays the blues at the Oregon Zoo on Sunday, June 22, as
part of the Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo. |
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Bringing a potent blend of folk, country, Caribbean and R&B along with their blues, Keb' Mo' and Taj Majal descend upon Portland June 22 at 7 p.m., as part of the Oregon Zoo's summer concert series presented by Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo.
"Keb' Mo' and Taj Majal are two renowned blues talents," says Krista Swan zoo event coordinator. "Their respective styles incorporate so many influences -- this show should take audience members on a musical journey from the South to Hawaii to the coasts of Africa."
Launching his musical career by opening for Papa John Creach, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jefferson Starship, and Loggins and Messina, Keb' Mo' was later moved by the deep country-blues sound of Robert Johnson. Several years later, Mo' portrayed Johnson in the docudrama, "Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?"
Mo's 1994 self-titled album was labeled "seamless" by Andy Lyman of Rolling Stone magazine, and his two subsequent albums, "Just Like You" and "Slow Down," both won Grammy awards. Mo' won a third Grammy in 2004 for "Keep It Simple." His most recent album is "Suitcase."
"Keb' Mo' is the kind of artist who can personalize a strong Delta blues foundation," says Swan. "His folk, rock and soul extrapolations make for a mesmerizing sound."
To see video of Keb' Mo' performing "Folsom Prison Blues," visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Concerts/KebMo.htm.
Taj Majal brings blues beats to the Oregon Zoo on Sunday, June
22, as part of the Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer and Wells
Fargo. |
Like Keb' Mo', Taj Majal extrapolates from a strong blues base. Taj Majal entered the American blues scene as -- in the words of the "New Rolling Stone Album Guide" -- a "stylish and lovable devil." Not content to simply glorify past blues styles, he desired to reinvent the genre.
Priming his early career with the album, "The Natch'l Blues," featuring the
famed ballad "Corinna," Taj Majal progressively explored Caribbean
influences, most notably on the album, "Mo' Roots." Expanding the genre
further, he collaborated with Indian musicians N. Ravkiran and V. M. Bhatt
to produce the ambitious "Mumtaz Mahal." His album "Talking Timbuktu"
explores the blues' African roots, while "Hanapepe Dream" employs Hawaiian
guitar methods.
Taj Majal won Grammys for his albums "Señor Blues" and "Shoutin' in Key."
To see a video of Taj Majal performing "Linda Lu," please visit: www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/Concerts/TajMajal.htm.
Tickets for Keb' Mo' and Taj Majal and can be purchased at the Oregon Zoo for $24 each. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) online at Ticketmaster. 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 30 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.
Fred Meyer and Wells Fargo are the presenting sponsors of the series. This year's series is also co-sponsored by KINK fm 102 and KATU Television.
May 8, 2008
METRO COUNCIL APPROVES BOND TO PROTECT ANIMAL HEALTH, SAFETY
Zoo seeks more humane conditions for animals, improved water conservation
systems
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Late this afternoon, the Metro Council -- that governs the
Oregon Zoo -- unanimously approved an initiative allowing the zoo to seek a
$125-million bond to protect animal health and safety. The bond would also
make the zoo more sustainable in its operations, while addressing serious
water conservation issues.
The public will vote this November on issues relating to the zoo's aging infrastructure and the dilapidated veterinary hospital and quarantine facility. The bond measure also calls for improved conditions for elephants, polar bears, chimpanzees, hippos and penguins.
The measure focuses on five areas:
· Providing more humane care for animals by updating four outdated and undersized enclosures with larger, more natural and safer spaces.
· Protecting animal health and safety by modernizing the zoo's substandard 45-year-old animal clinic, which was deemed deficient by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
· Increasing access to conservation education by providing more space for summer camps, classes and hands-on learning for kids, adults and families.
· Improving water quality by replacing the 1950s-era sewer system, while reducing pollution by separating sewage from storm water. The zoo would also harvest rain runoff for reuse.
· Conserving and reusing water by installing water recycling filtration systems, while replacing leaking, worn-out plumbing and irrigation systems. These changes will save 11 million gallons of water annually.
The bond cost estimate is less than 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value per year. The average homeowner in the region would pay $1.38 per month. The average cost per household would be $16.56 for an assessed home value at $190,000. The average Metro region assessed property value is $190,000. Bonds mature in 21 years or less.
Accountability requirements include internal audits, an annual independent financial audit published in local media, and the creation of a citizens' oversight committee to monitor spending and recommend project modification if needed.
May 7, 2008
METRO COUNCIL HONORS ZOO'S FIRST VETERINARIAN
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Metro Council is honoring the Oregon Zoo's first
veterinarian, Matthew Maberry, DVM, with a Lifetime Award in recognition of
his contribution not only to the zoo, but to animal care worldwide.
From 1958 to 1973, Maberry was the part-time veterinarian for the zoo, then
known as Portland Zoological Gardens. While at the zoo, he helped deliver a
healthy baby elephant on April 14, 1962. The newborn named Packy made
international news as the first Asian elephant born in the Western
Hemisphere in 44 years. To see vintage footage from the time of Packy's
birth, visit www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/PackysBirthday.htm.
Dr. Matthew Maberry led the Oregon Zoo's elephant breeding program
from 1958 to 1973. He is pictured here in Life magazine. |
According to Oregon Zoo Deputy Director Mike Keele, whom Maberry supervised
from 1971 to 1973, one of the reasons Portland was successful with Asian
elephants was the state-of-the-art facilities that were built in 1960.
"They allowed elephants to be managed in a much freer manner than other
facilities, where it was common to keep elephants restrained for the
majority of the day," commented Keele.
"The new facilities allowed normal social interactions, which we have
learned is critically important," according to Keele. "This also allowed
natural breeding, which resulted in the successful pregnancies and births.
Maberry was part of the team that designed these facilities, which began a
revolution in elephant-housing standards -- and not just in the United
States."
Maberry continued with his successful elephant-breeding program, and, during
his tenure with the zoo, he consulted with zoo veterinarians worldwide. He
also provided zoos around the world with his knowledge of working with a
bull elephant in a zoo environment. At the time, nothing had been published
about elephants successfully breeding in zoos, and Maberry was breaking new
ground.
During these first pregnancies, little was known about fetal development,
neonatal care, maternal behavior and a host of other details associated with
successful elephant pregnancies and births. Maberry assembled a team to
monitor a pregnant elephant's health and tried some fetal monitoring
approaches that had not been attempted before. He and his team were able to
modify or create medical equipment to monitor the heartbeat of the fetus,
thereby establishing a way to confirm whether an elephant was pregnant.
"This was significant because most elephants don't show overt physical signs
of pregnancy," remarked Keele.
His team also studied female hormones in hopes of discovering how to use
hormones as a diagnostic tool during pregnancy.
Keele has recently reconnected with Maberry, who has made several important
visits to the zoo.
Keele was particularly interested in reconnecting with Maberry at this time
as the zoo currently has a pregnant Asian elephant, the first since 1994.
Maberry was invited to meet with the zoo's elephant-care staff, many of whom
have never experienced a pregnancy or birth, so they could gain some
confidence through his experience.
Maberry described all of the births he attended to, and assured staff that
allowing all of the females together lets them feel secure and help one
another. This is not standard practice in the United States, but it is how
every elephant birth in Portland has taken place. Because there is such
concern that the elephant, because of her size, weight and strength, will
harm her calf -- perhaps even fatally -- most facilities exercise an
extremely high level of control, which could negatively impact the female's
comfort and security.
 Packy made international news as the first Asian elephant born in
the Western Hemisphere in 44 years. The Metro Council, which governs the
Oregon Zoo, is honoring the zoo's first veterinarian, Matthew Maberry, DVM,
with a Lifetime Award in recognition of his contribution not only to the
zoo, but to animal care worldwide.© Oregon Zoo |
"I continue to marvel at the courage Dr. Maberry exercised in allowing
elephants to be elephants and trusting that they knew how to work as a herd
to bring a new life into their world," said Keele.
Maberry earned his veterinary degree from Washington State University in
1947, before spending five years working in Oregon and Washington
mixed-animal clinics. He then served as veterinarian for the U.S. Public
Health Service in Atlanta, where he focused on diseases transmissible from
animals to humans, such as rabies.
Maberry recently received the Distinguished Veterinary Alumnus Award at
Washington State University.
"Dr. Maberry's work helped provide the foundation on which we've built
today's elephant-care programs," said Keele.
And while that foundation is important, Maberry will forever be tied
to the Oregon Zoo's most famous resident, Packy, the oldest and largest
Asian elephant in the United States. The 46-year-old bull stands about
10 feet 4 inches tall at the shoulder with an average weight of 14,020
pounds. He has fathered seven calves, including 23-year-old Sung-Surin
("Sunshine") and
24-year-old Rama, both of whom currently live at the zoo. The zoo is
recognized internationally for having the most successful breeding
herd of Asian elephants of any zoo, with more than 20 births.
May 2, 2008
ZOO FOUNDATION RECEIVES $125,000 FOR LION EXHIBIT
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon Zoo said goodbye to African lions 10 years ago, and today it is working hard to "bring back the roar." Thanks to a major pledge of $125,000 from the Jay and Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation, the roar is getting louder.
The recent gift brings the campaign total to more than $4.7 million of the $5 million needed to build the new 50,000-square-foot Predators of the Serengeti exhibit.
"This gracious gift from the Jay and Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation brings us closer to realizing our dream of bringing lions back to Portland," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Their sponsorship of the Discovery Center portion of the exhibit will help our children make connections with Africa's most important predators."
The Discovery Center at the Predators of the Serengeti exhibit is a multipurpose room featuring hands-on artifacts, puzzles and games where children can play and make discoveries by doing.
"As longtime supporters of the Oregon Zoo, we are truly excited to contribute toward not only what promises to be an amazing new exhibit, but also toward the further awareness this new exhibit will provide for the endangered status of some African predators," said the Zidells. "It is our privilege to help 'bring back the roar' to Oregon, and we look forward with eager anticipation to seeing this exhibit open in 2009."
The lions will not be alone when they return to the Oregon Zoo in 2009. Predators of the Serengeti celebrates African predators large and small, including cheetahs, wild dogs, red-billed hornbills, dwarf mongooses and caracals.
May 1, 2008
T. REX 'FLIES' 200 FEET IN THE AIR AT OREGON ZOO
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- A huge crane will lift a ferocious-looking, 5-foot-long T. rex into its new home along the dino trail at the Oregon Zoo on May 2 at 10 a.m. T. rex and his companions form the zoo's blockbuster outdoor exhibit, "Dinosaurs!" presented by Wells Fargo, set to open May 17 and running through Labor Day.
Chilling prehistoric roars will soon reverberate through lush canopies, as
zoogoers experience a trip back in time. Visitors will follow a trail
through an ancient rain forest, surrounded by life-size animatronic
dinosaurs that roar, snarl and move with realistic ferocity. Along the way,
massive footprints signal the proximity of the most fearsome prehistoric
predator of all: Tyrannosaurus rex. The path will also feature activity
stations with fossil digs, photo-opportunity spots and identification posts
geared to all ages.
Among the 25 animatronic creatures on display, visitors will discover a total of 14 species -- from the impressive brachiosaurus and the fierce T. rex, to the 2-foot-tall compsognathus and the flying pteranodon. Young visitors may prefer the slow-moving herbivore species, along with several animatronic baby dinosaurs and dinosaur egg nests.
"T. rex is the star of the show, of course," said Tony Vecchio, zoo
director. "Stegosaurus, triceratops, the long-necked sauropods and all the
popular carnivores are all represented. And some dinosaurs are just so funky
that we had to have them -- like the dome-headed pachycephalosaurus."
Each of the dinosaurs 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' grasping hands, menacing claws and gnashing teeth. Strategically placed alternative paths will lead parents with younger visitors to activity stations, where they learn what these giants ate, how they cared for their young, what their relationships to other animals were like, possible reasons they became extinct and more.
Admission is $4 plus regular zoo admission. Dinosaurs! presented by Wells Fargo is also sponsored by KPTV Fox 12, KPDX 49, Z100, K103 Portland's Soft Rock, NewsRadio 1190 KEX, Univision-KUNP TV, KXPD LaX Radio and KXPD TV Azteca-America.
To see a video of zoo staffers wrangling a newly arrived and
ferocious-looking megalosaurus, visit
www.oregonzoo.org/VideoArchive/dinosaursArrive08.htm.
May 1, 2008
Dinosaurs arrive at the oregon zoo
Dinos complete their journey from Texas as zoo prepares for blockbuster
exhibit
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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Mayday! Mayday! The dinos are here! A ferocious-looking T.
rex and more than 20 of his prehistoric pals arrived at the Oregon Zoo today
following a long journey from McKinney, Texas. These giants will form the
zoo's blockbuster outdoor exhibit, "Dinosaurs!" presented by Wells Fargo,
set to open May 17 and running through Labor Day.
Chilling prehistoric roars will soon reverberate through lush canopies, as
zoogoers experience a trip back in time. Visitors will follow a trail
through an ancient rain forest, surrounded by life-size animatronic
dinosaurs that roar, snarl and move with realistic ferocity. Along the way,
massive footprints signal the proximity of the most fearsome prehistoric
predator of all: Tyrannosaurus rex. The path will also feature activity
stations with fossil digs, photo-opportunity spots and identification posts
geared to all ages.
Among the 25 animatronic creatures on display, visitors will discover a total of 14 species -- from the impressive brachiosaurus and the fierce T. rex, to the 2-foot-tall compsognathus and the flying pteranodon. Young visitors may prefer the slow-moving herbivore species, along with several animatronic baby dinosaurs and dinosaur egg nests.
"T. rex is the star of the show, of course," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Stegosaurus, triceratops, the long-necked sauropods and all the popular carnivores are all represented. And some dinosaurs are just so funky that we had to have them -- like the dome-headed pachycephalosaurus."
Each of the dinosaurs 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' grasping hands, menacing claws and gnashing teeth. Strategically placed alternative paths will lead parents with younger visitors to activity stations, where they learn what these giants ate, how they cared for their young, what their relationships to other animals were like, possible reasons they became extinct and more.
Admission is $4 plus regular zoo admission. Dinosaurs! presented by Wells Fargo is also sponsored by KPTV Fox 12, KPDX 49, Z100, K103 Portland's Soft Rock, NewsRadio 1190 KEX, Univision-KUNP TV, KXPD LaX Radio and KXPD TV Azteca-America.
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