February 27, 2009
OREGON ZOO RECEIVES $100,000 DONATION FROM BANFIELD

Oregon Zoo Veterinary Technician Kelli Harvison listens to the breathing of Mikhail, an endangered Amur tiger. An image taken by the zoo's new digital X-ray machine is visible on the monitor in the background. The Banfield pet hospital donated $100,000 to the zoo for this state-of-the-art equipment.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. — How do you X-ray a tiger, a bear or an elephant? You might want to say, "Very carefully," but for the Oregon Zoo the answer is a gift from a long-standing member of the community.

The animals can thank Banfield for assisting in their care. The pet hospital donated $100,000 for a new, state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine.

"Our practice is honored to support Oregon Zoo veterinarians through our digital X-ray donation," said Karen K. Faunt, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (Small Animal), Vice President/Chief Medical Officer, Banfield, The Pet Hospital®. "We know this diagnostic tool will help them provide the best veterinary care to zoo residents by minimizing anesthesia and examination time for patients, and digitally archive images for later comparison."

For the zoo, this generous support could not have come at a better time. Its previous X-ray machine was dated and had been designed for use on humans. The new machine, specifically designed for veterinary use, is much more efficient, cutting down the amount of time animals are examined and anesthetized for medical procedures.

Chendra, the Oregon Zoo's smallest adult elephant, walked to the zoo's veterinary hospital recently to receive an X-ray of her lower jaw. The Banfield pet hospital donated $100,000 to the zoo for this state-of-the-art equipment.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

"Digital radiology is a faster way of getting the X-ray results, so we can minimize stress and anesthesia time for the animals," said Mitch Finnegan, lead veterinarian at the zoo.

The machine allows the zoo to digitally archive pictures for easier review and comparison to previous X-rays. It also enables the zoo's veterinary staff to send images via e-mail to consultants or other zoos for further analysis.

The new machine has been helpful in the zoo's effort to treat its black bears. After three overweight, geriatric black bears arrived at the zoo, the new X-ray machine was able to assist zoo veterinarians in quickly diagnosing their furry patients with arthritis.

"We never could have done this before," said Margot Monti, a veterinary technician at the zoo. "The sheer size of the bears would have never allowed us to properly X-ray them. Our new machine is now appropriately designed to take X-rays of the very big and the very small."

The new digital technology was also crucial in the diagnosis of the arthritis.

A new digital X-ray machine helped zoo veterinary staff quickly diagnose arthritis in Homer the black bear.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

"This machine produces X-rays with significantly more detail and clarity than the previous machine," Monti said. "Through X-rays and the machine's state-of-the-art magnification capabilities, we were able to monitor the bears' condition and determine pain-medication dosages to alleviate each bear's arthritic condition. The treatments have been successful, as guests can see when they visit the Black Bear Ridge exhibit."

The new X-ray machine gave the Asian elephant Chendra an opportunity to take a field trip as well. Walking the trails before the zoo opened, Chendra took a morning stroll to the veterinary hospital for a checkup on one of her teeth. After a quick examination and a few X-rays, Chendra was out of the doctor's office and back with her herd at the elephant barn.

Established in 1955, Banfield strives to make the best veterinary care affordable and convenient in the communities it serves. Because pets play such a valuable role in families' lives, Banfield pet hospitals provide the finest doctors, computerized medical records, Optimum Wellness Plans® for preventive care and extended operating hours. Located nationwide, Banfield helps to extend the lives of more than 4 million pets each year.

February 24, 2009
ZOO GOES WILD FOR SPRING BREAK

One of the Oregon Zoo's Amur tigers plays with an enrichment ball during the annual Zoo's Gone Wild spring break party. Animals throughout the zoo receive various treats during the two-week-long event which takes place March 23 through April 5.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Move over Maui. Forget about Fort Lauderdale. The Oregon Zoo is the latest spring break destination du jour. At the sixth annual Zoo's Gone Wild celebration, March 23 through April 5, spring breakers can go wild with elephants, polar bears, black bears, chimps, sea lions and more.

"Portland may not be the Caribbean, but Northwest residents have great imaginations," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "We can all put on our Hawaiian shirts and just pretend."

Zoo's Gone Wild features two weeks of tropical vacation activities for the animals as well as for zoo visitors. Guests can watch as black bears party at the beach, lorikeets receive fruit leis, and sea otters relax by the pool.

"Our great volunteers and staff have been planning these events for months," Vecchio said.

This year, visitors can party with a real "Caribbean amphibian" when Wendy Whitten, the "Singing Scientist," brings her friend Flumpa the tree frog to the zoo for two shows on Sunday, March 29, at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. This duo will have everyone movin' and groovin' to songs about oceans, rain forests and, of course, frogs! All spring break music shows will be free with zoo admission.

Animal enrichment activities and keeper talks take place from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. daily from March 23 through April 5. Visitors can learn about animal training from the keepers and get a more intimate look at sea lions, elephants, crocodiles, ocelots, penguins, river otters and tide pools.

Zoo's Gone Wild is designed to showcase the Oregon Zoo's internationally renowned animal enrichment programs. Animal enrichment is designed to challenge animals with complex tasks that require problem solving. Activities are themed by day.

For details: 2009 Spring Schedule of Events

February 24, 2009
EXPERT DISCUSSES PLIGHT OF AFRICAN PAINTED DOG
Greg Rasmussen shares lifelong passion for a species on the brink of extinction

British wildlife biologist Greg Rasmussen, founder of Zimbabwe's Painted Dog Conservation Project, discusses strategies for saving this maligned species Feb. 24, 7 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo, as part of the 2009 Wildlife Conservation Lecture Series.
Photo by Charis Henrie, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Once a half million strong, the African painted dog is now struggling to maintain a population of 3,000, having been wiped out in 25 of the 39 countries in which it once resided.

British wildlife biologist Greg Rasmussen, founder of Zimbabwe's Painted Dog Conservation Project, discusses strategies for saving this species Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Oregon Zoo, as part of the 2009 Wildlife Conservation Lecture Series.

In his lecture, "Lasting Conservation Solutions to Conserve the Painted Dog in Zimbabwe and Beyond," Rasmussen discusses the major threats to painted dogs: snares, shootings, poisonings and road kills. African painted dogs have also been hurt by diseases introduced through contact with domestic dogs.

"Underlying all of the threats to this species are attitudes based on misinformation," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "African painted dogs have a reputation as vicious killers, but the risk they present to livestock has been overstated. Hopefully, this lecture will help the public see the true nature of these remarkable animals and their value to the larger ecosystem."

Rasmussen has spent over 16 years raising awareness about the African painted dog and working to bring it back from the brink of extinction. In Zimbabwe, his Painted Dog Conservation Project has successfully reduced the mortality rate, increasing the number of African painted dogs there from 400 to 700 since the project's inception.

In his lecture, "Lasting Conservation Solutions to Conserve the Painted Dog in Zimbabwe and Beyond," Rasmussen discusses the major threats to painted dogs: snares, shootings, poisonings and road kills. African painted dogs have also been hurt by diseases introduced through contact with domestic dogs.
Photo by Charis Henrie © Oregon Zoo

Using children's camps, outreach programs and an interpretive center, the project educates local people about the dogs, their history and the ecosystem they all share.

To further educate people about the destruction of African painted dogs and the harmful use of wire snares, the project has contracted local artists to create sculpture made from the wires. The project employs villagers to collect snares and provides opportunities for the artists to turn them into works of art. The creations are shipped to Europe with proceeds from their sales used to raise awareness and further support anti-poaching efforts.

Rasmussen was featured on the Discovery Channel's documentary series "I Shouldn't Be Alive" in an episode describing his ordeal following a light-plane crash while tracking painted-dog poachers in the African savanna. With his legs broken in six different places, Rasmussen spent several days fighting off predators and intense pain before being rescued.

The Wildlife Conservation Lecture Series continues through April. The lecture series is presented by Pro Photo Supply and Shiels Obletz Johnsen. Hosts for the lecture series are the Oregon Zoo, the Audubon Society of Portland and the World Forestry Center.

February 20, 2009
THREE OREGON ZOO CONDORS TO BE RELEASED INTO WILD

Juvenile Condor waiting to be released
Photo © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Three California condors from the Oregon Zoo will be released into the Vermilion Cliffs Monument in northern Arizona March 7, soaring into the open skies that will finally be their home.

Meriwether (No. 379), Nootka (No. 447) and Atya (No. 455) were hatched and raised at the zoo before being transferred to the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, to prepare for their release. Meriwether was transferred in January 2007, Nootka and Atya in October 2008.

This trio will be the second group of Oregon Zoo condors released in the 293,000-acre Arizona monument. They will join Tatoosh (No. 367), Ursa (No. 404) and Wiley (No. 420), who were successfully released in March 2008.

"With every successful condor release we're another step closer to seeing condors fly over the skies of Oregon," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "One day Oregonians may again see what Lewis and Clark saw as they traveled along the Columbia River over 200 years ago."

This will be the 14th release of condors in Arizona since the Peregrine Fund began its recovery program in 1996. Currently, 67 condors are flying free in Arizona, including two wild-hatched chicks that left their nests in the Grand Canyon in December.

"These monumental strides give us great hope for the survival of this species," Vecchio said.

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. Their range extended across much of North America during the Pleistocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago. 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. The world's total population of endangered condors flying free in the wild is 169 in Arizona, California and Mexico.

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 center is currently home to 31 condors and has produced 15 eggs since it was established. Of the 15 eggs produced, 14 chicks have survived.

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.

Read the Oregon Condor Comeback newsletter.

February 19, 2009
VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS COME NOSE-TO-NOSE WITH TIGER

Isaiah Dinsmore, 9, of Boones Ferry Primary School in Wilsonville, pets the fur of Mikhail, an endangered Amur tiger at the Oregon Zoo. Assisting Dinsmore is vision specialist Deirdre Luke-Brown.
Photo by Melinda Holland, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Fourteen students from the Columbia Regional Program had a very close encounter with a 400-pound Amur tiger at the Oregon Zoo this week. The visually impaired students got to touch the anesthetized tiger at the zoo's veterinary hospital Tuesday, Feb. 17, during the animal's annual physical.

"Touch is such an important sense for these kids," said Lisa McConachie, assistant program administrator for blind-visually impaired services at CRP. "Normally when these students come to the zoo, they can only hear the animals, not see or touch them. When the kids touch a living, breathing tiger, they light up -- it's really a magical experience."

Students from Portland, Gresham-Barlow, North Clackamas, West Linn-Wilsonville and Gladstone school districts attended the tiger procedure.

"We've been inviting kids from this program to the zoo for tactile encounters for the past 12 years," said Mitch Finnegan, the zoo's lead veterinarian. "The program is something we strongly believe in, and these encounters are something we will continue for years to come."

The Columbia Regional Program assists local school districts in the education of students with special needs. Serving Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River and Wasco counties, the program provides direct instruction, assessment and consultation, as well as accommodations and modifications, for about 270 blind or visually impaired students.

"As we support children in their neighborhood schools, rare behind-the-scenes encounters such as these are invaluable," said McConachie. "They open up new worlds to the students -- memorable experiences that they would not normally have access to, given their vision impairments."

According to McConachie, a trip to the zoo not only helps increase the students' understanding and conceptual awareness, but also supports independent travel and interactions within the community. "They will remember this experience for the rest of their lives," she said.

February 10, 2009
Make a difference - be a zooteen
Teens from across the state have fun while working for animal conservation

ZooTeens give visitors a chance to touch and learn about animals in the zoo's pygmy goat kraal and Trillium Creek Family Farm.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Teens looking for something wild and exciting to do this summer should consider becoming a ZooTeen at the Oregon Zoo. Students entering 9th through 12th grade this fall may apply now through March 1 for this award-winning volunteer program.

ZooTeens present animals to visitors, help keepers with the care and feeding of pettable animals, go on a behind-the-scenes tour with keepers, and manage the pygmy goat kraal and family farm, both run solely by teens. Some ZooTeens, with additional training, give animal presentations and serve as junior counselors at zoo day camps.

"We are the only zoo in the nation that has teenagers supervising teenagers," said Amanda Greenvoss, zoo youth volunteer coordinator. "This allows the teens to create a unique environment where they feel they belong. It's a kind of family."

ZooTeens gain an insider's view of the zoo and its animals, make new friends, develop leadership and public-speaking skills in a fun environment, handle zoo education animals, and explore career possibilities. ZooTeens must apply and go through an interview process, which teaches valuable career skills and prepares them for future job interviews.

"Being a part of ZooTeens is so much fun," said Troy Dunsmuir, a fifth-year ZooTeen and senior at Clackamas High School. "You make tons of great friends, and at the same time you are getting job skills, career contacts and a place to grow into a better person. I have made lifelong friends in this program."

ZooTeens work 11 hours a week, split into two 5 1/2-hour shifts, with two weeks of vacation. They receive 24 hours of training. Up to 70 ZooTeens may be invited to participate in the winter volunteer program, and 35 of these have the opportunity to become team leaders. These select teens help lead the program on a daily basis.

The team-leader program has twice received an Award of Excellence for youth-leadership involvement from Mutual of Omaha's Wildlife Heritage Center.

Each summer, ZooTeens contribute 30,000 hours to the zoo. The program, which started in 1972, has participants from as far away as Longview, WA, Eugene and Salem.

For additional ZooTeen information, call 503-220-2449 or visit ZooTeen Volunteer page.

February 6, 2009
OREGON ZOO DIRECTOR RECOGNIZED FOR BANNER YEAR IN 2008

The Oregon Zoo's director, Tony Vecchio (seen here with some of his rodent friends, aka the "Rat Pack"), was recently named the Zoo and Aquarium Visitor's director of the month. The Web site recognized Vecchio for the zoo's remarkable successes in 2008.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio was recently named Zoo and Aquarium Visitor's director of the month. The zoo and aquarium industry Web site recognized Vecchio in December for the zoo's remarkable success in 2008.

Despite a yearlong recession, one of the coldest, wettest springs in recent memory and a near-record snowfall in December, 2008 was still a great year for the Oregon Zoo.

For the third year in a row, and the fourth time in five years, the zoo broke its all-time calendar-year attendance record, with 1,593,907 visitors. It was the second time zoo attendance topped 1.5 million in a calendar year.

And in November, the community showed its strong support for the zoo by passing a $125 million zoo bond measure with nearly 60 percent of the vote. The bond will provide funds for improving outdated exhibits and making the zoo more sustainable.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the Zoo and Aquarium Visitor," said Vecchio. "We had quite a year in 2008. It's gratifying to know that, despite a rough economy and despite some challenging weather, people really love our zoo."

Tony Vecchio (seen here feeding Chendra the elephant), was recently named the Zoo and Aquarium Visitor's director of the month. The Web site recognized Vecchio for the zoo's remarkable successes in 2008.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

As zoo director, Vecchio actively embodies the zoo's mission to create a better future for wildlife by inspiring the public through its innovative exhibits and conservation programs.

After the most successful year in the zoo's 122-year history, Vecchio anticipates an even better 2009.

"We have big plans," Vecchio said. "Lions, cheetahs and African wild dogs arrive this summer as part of our much-anticipated Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. And later in the year, Red Ape Reserve, our new orangutan and white-cheeked gibbon exhibit, is sure to be popular."

The Oregon Zoo continues to have the highest attendance of any fee-based tourist attraction in Oregon.

Vecchio is a professional fellow of Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He has served as an advisor to AZA's Animal Welfare Committee, Field Conservation Committee and Pig and Peccary Taxon Advisory Group.

He is a past board chairman of the Zoo Conservation Outreach Group, and has served on the Portland Audubon Society Board of Directors, AZA Ethics Board, AZA Board of Directors and numerous AZA taxon advisory groups and species survival plans.

February 4, 2009
$369,000 GIFT TO OREGON ZOO STARTS NEW YEAR WITH A ROAR
Zoo hopes donation from M.J. Murdock Trust will set positive tone for 2009

The Oregon Zoo's Predators of the Serengeti, featuring lions, African wild dogs, cheetahs, caracals, mongoose and other carnivores opens to the public this summer.
© the Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has made a $369,000 grant to wrap up The Oregon Zoo Foundation's Predators of the Serengeti capital campaign. The Foundation surpassed its $5 million fund-raising goal almost a year ahead of schedule, raising more than $6 million.

"In these tough economic times, it is hard to express enough thanks to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust," said Tony Vecchio, Oregon Zoo director. "The Trust, along with the entire community, has shown strong support for the zoo and our efforts to bring lions back to Portland."

Other large gifts that have helped the zoo reach its campaign goal include:

• A $300,000 challenge grant from the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation.
• A $350,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust.
• A $175,000 challenge grant from The Collins Foundation.
• A $125,000 donation from the Jay and Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation.
• A $300,000 donation from the Clark family -- Mike and Tracey Clark, the Clark/Lewis Family Foundation, Brittany Clark and Christopher Brooks.
• A $104,973 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Beginning this summer, Oregon Zoo visitors will hear the roar of the lion, the bark of the African wild dog and the chirp of the cheetah, thanks to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and many other generous donors.
Photo by Charis Henrie, © Oregon Zoo.

In addition, zoo volunteers and employees exceeded their own fund-raising goals, bringing in more than $225,000, and the campaign received more than 1,200 donations from members and friends of the zoo.

"We are extremely grateful for the leadership of Oregon Zoo Foundation board member Suzanne Bishop, who helped make this campaign such a roaring success," Vecchio said. "We're all looking forward to hearing the roar of the lion, the bark of the African wild dog and the chirp of the cheetah."

Construction on Predators of the Serengeti is already under way, and the exhibit is expected to open this summer.

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust's goal is to enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest by providing grants and enrichment programs to organizations that seek to strengthen the region's educational, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways.

February 3, 2009
OREGON ZOO RECEIVES THREE CONDORS WITH COLORFUL PASTS
New female birds expected to enhance zoo's already successful breeding program

Endangered condor Timocho, removed from the wild after suffering a shotgun blast to the face, arrives at the Oregon Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation. Timocho and two other female condors recently joined the zoo as part of the California condor recovery program.
Photo © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Three California condors — a would-be homewrecker, the survivor of a shotgun blast to the face, and a bitter old maid — will make a fresh start in the Northwest, looking to find love in the Oregon Zoo's condor program.

Despite these birds' soap-opera pasts, the zoo recently welcomed them to its facility at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, where the notorious trio will augment an already successful program for breeding the endangered condor. The birds arrived from the Los Angeles Zoo.

Kojjati, a female condor from California, had been involved in several love triangles while in the wild and was always dumped for the other female. The drama that inevitably ensues in these situations endangers the eggs and young chicks — the primary reason Kojjati was taken out of the wild.

"Condors are normally quite careful around the eggs and chicks, but when they're upset the birds become reckless," said Shawn St. Michael, condor curator. "While Kojjati is in our breeding program, she will be paired alone, which will eliminate any possibility of her interfering in another pair's relationship."

St. Michael is hopeful that a young, single condor can mend Kojjati's broken heart and that she will soon begin laying eggs with a mate of her own.

Timocho was taken out of the wild a few years ago after reports that she had possibly sustained an injury while in a national wildlife refuge. Upon her capture, it was discovered that Timocho had been shot in the face by a shotgun. Pellets from the blast had damaged one of her eyes and her tongue, and fractured bones in and around her mouth.

Although her situation appeared bleak, Timocho was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo and nursed back to health. She was hand-fed at first, but now is able to eat standard food without assistance.

"Timocho has come along way since her injury," St. Michael said. "She can never be released back into the wild, but she is healthy and has learned to overcome her disabilities and permanent injuries."

Timocho will be paired with Willie, a condor who can sympathize with Timocho's situation. As a young chick, Willie was accidentally injured by his parents and lost the use of one of his eyes. Timocho has laid eggs that have hatched in the wild, and St. Michael is very optimistic that the condor program will see chicks from the pair.

Video: Timocho (Condor 155) arriving at zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation

The third condor acquired by the zoo is Elewese, a relatively old bird who has lived most of her life in captivity. St. Michael is uncertain whether they will try to pair her with a male, but says Elewese has embraced her matronly role and is content serving as a mentor to the other young condors in the program.

The zoo's condor recovery efforts take place at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, located in 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.

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. Their range extended across much of North America during the Pleistocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago. 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.

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.

The condor recovery goal is to establish a captive population of 150 birds and two separate wild populations of condors, one in California and the other in Arizona. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Condor Recovery Program coordinate and implement the recovery program and provide oversight of all program partners.

February 2, 2009
OREGON ZOO HEDGEHOG FORECASTS SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER
Chriki sees her shadow, hunkers down until spring

Metro President David Bragdon holds Chriki the hedgehog during the Oregon Zoo's annual Hedgehog Day festivities. Chriki saw her shadow this morning, indicating six more weeks of winter.
Photo by Michael Durham, © Oregon Zoo.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Don't pack those snow tires and chains away just yet. Chriki, the Oregon Zoo's African pygmy hedgehog, saw her shadow today, indicating six more weeks of winter could be in store. Or not.

"The groundhog is a relative newcomer to the prognosticating game," said Metro Council President David Bragdon, who presided over the zoo's annual Hedgehog Day festivities. "The African hedgehog is actually more authentic — not necessarily more accurate, but more authentic."

Historically, the hedgehog has been used in this centuries-old tradition to predict the onset of spring. Immigrants to North America substituted the groundhog when they found there were no hedgehogs in their new homeland.

Considering Chriki's track record though, authenticity — and cuteness — will have to count for a lot.

"Since she's been wrong three of the past four years, by the law of averages she's bound to be right this year," quipped Bragdon.

Video: This year's Hedgehog Day at the zoo