News

A fluffy california condor chick in a nest box

Record hatching year offers hope for endangered condors

Thirteen condor chicks are hopping in their nest boxes at the Oregon Zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation this month.

May 13, 2024

Zoo releases hundreds of rare butterflies into wild

Conservationists transport Oregon silverspot caterpillars to coast range

May 26, 2022

Zoo welcomes ultra-rare sihek kingfishers

The Oregon Zoo is home to many critically endangered species, but perhaps none as rare as its newest arrivals: a trio of sihek kingfishers.

April 25, 2024

Call for ponds: community help needed to find turtles

Yamhill County property owners are being asked to help search for a rare Pacific Northwest native reptile: the northwestern pond turtle, also known as the western pond turtle.

May 19, 2021

A chimpanzee climbs a wooden structure at the Oregon Zoo's Primate Forest habitat.

Citizen oversight group praises zoo bond implementation

The Oregon Zoo continues to deliver on promises made in 2008, when the region's voters approved a zoo bond measure promoting animal welfare and sustainability, a citizen oversight group reports.

May 7, 2021

Rescued black bear Takoda enjoys a soak in the tub at the Oregon Zoo.

2 Cubs + 2 tubs: Takoda and Nora show us how to stay cool

As a stretch of warm spring weather settled around Portland over the past month, 11-year-old Takoda and 5-year-old Nora did what many youngsters do: headed for their wading pools to cool off.

May 7, 2021

Sea otter Juno munching on a piece of kelp.

Kelp and sea otters: A Q&A with Dick Vanderschaaf

To learn about sea otters and their role in maintaining Oregon’s kelp ecosystem, we spoke with Dick Vanderschaaf, associate director of marine conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon.

April 13, 2021

American beaver Filbert chews a stick at the Oregon Zoo.

Zoo Foundation awards $40,000 for Oregon conservation

Sea otters, beavers and western pond turtles got some much-needed help this week as the Oregon Zoo Foundation funded $40,000 to support conservation efforts.

April 1, 2021

Polar bear Nora explores her new habitat.

Zoo's spring forecast: sunny with a chance of Nora

As the Oregon Zoo puts the finishing touches on its new Polar Passage habitat, Nora the polar bear is back!

March 21, 2021

Zoo hosts talk on saving imperiled monarch butterflies

Q&A with Sen. Jeff Merkley and Xerces Society expert livestreamed March 18, 2021 As pollinator scientists and advocates fight to save the western monarch butterfly from extinction, the Oregon Zoo is hosting a live Q&A session this week, featuring U.S

March 17, 2021