Photo
courtesy of Patrick Johnson |
Oregon
Zoo has something for every season
By
Patrick Johnson
For Oregon.com
Two year old Violet Johnson stood and stared in amazement.
Sure, she had seen elephants in her books at home, but had never seen
the real thing.
Until today.
"Elephant,"
Violet whispered and looked up at her mother.
Oregon Zoo
4001 SW Canyon Rd,
Portland, OR 97062
503-226-1561
About
the Oregon Zoo: Founded in 1887, the award-winning
Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi.
The zoo's 64 acres are home to animals from all corners
of the world, including Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins
and Arctic polar bears. From the mist-filled Africa Rain
Forest to the majestic new Great Northwest exhibits, the
zoo encourages visitors to understand and experience the
natural world. Committed to conservation of endangered
species and their habitats-both locally and around the
globe-the zoo is a center for wildlife preservation and
field research. The Oregon Zoo's award-winning education
programs serve more than a half-million people both at
the zoo and at schools, senior and community centers around
the region. A summer concert series, seasonal events and
the zoo railway help this popular Oregon attraction draw
more than one million visitors each year. The Oregon Zoo
is all of this, but it is also a safe place for families
to share moments of discovery and fun.
Tips: Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes
when visiting the Oregon Zoo, and give yourself some extra
time. During the summer it can be busy, and make sure
you dress for the weather conditions, as it's an open
air attraction. Grabbing a map at the entrance is also
helpful, as it's easy to get turned around in the 64-acre
zoo. If you can, make time to ride the Zoo Train and eat
at one of the different restaurants inside the zoo.
What to bring: Some of the exhibits are back away
from where people are, so make sure that you bring a camera
that can handle a little distance. You may also want to
bring some binoculars for some of the bigger exhibits
- the monkey area is rather large and they can hide in
the back of the display.
Hours:
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. September 16 - April 14
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. April 15 - September 15
the zoo is open every day except December 25.
Getting
there: The zoo is located five minutes west of downtown
Portland on Highway 26. Watch for the signs. The zoo is
the first exit from this highway.
For
more information about the Oregon Zoo, visit their
web site at www.oregonzoo.org or contact them at 503-226-1561. |
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At that
moment the elephant, "Tusko" reached down with his trunk
and threw dirt on his back creating a big dust cloud.
"Elephant dirty!" Violet yelled, giggling.
Memories like these are things that you create when visiting the Oregon
Zoo.
From jungle cats to exotic birds, the Oregon Zoo is a great way to
spend an afternoon traveling the globe.
Zoo visits don't just have to be summertime affairs, walking the open-aired
park in the heat. The Oregon Zoo has something for every season, whether
it's spring, fall, winter or summer.
Yes, during the summer there are concerts and outdoor events, but
some of the best times to visit the Oregon Zoo are during the fall
and winter when other events catch the imagination of adults and children
alike. Really, is there a better way to visit the African Rainforest
display than when it's raining?
Of course there are places to eat, a gift shop and the zoo is broken
into different parts of the world, with a great Northwest, Pacific
shores, Africa and Alaska tundra exhibits to keep you busy.
But one thing that captures the imagination of adults and children
alike is the Zoo Train. The train operates daily from mid-March to
Memorial Day and again after Labor Day to late October. Trains start
at 10:30 a.m. and travel the Zoo Loop, a one-mile route around the
perimeter of the zoo grounds.
During the month of December the Zoo Lights are a great local attraction
where visitors ride the Zoo Train and see a light display featuring
moving lights arranged like many of the animals. Let the train conductor
handle the driving while you snuggle in and see a great display of
the holiday lights.
The Oregon Zoo has a rich history that started in the 1880s when Richard
Knight, a former seaman, became a pharmacist and started collecting
animals from his seafaring friends. Due to his love of animals, Knight
kept the collect in the back of his Third and Morrison Street drug
store. The collection was given over to the city and over the course
of its 100+ year history; the zoo has added animals, remodeled and
added attractions.
You can spend an entire day at the Oregon Zoo and still have things
you want to see, so give yourself plenty of time, and dress for the
weather.
Two new exhibits of the Cascade Canyon are schedule to open next year
and will feature cougars and black bears. This new attraction will
feature a suspension bridge that leads to an elevated viewpoint overlooking
Black Bear Ridge.
So whether you are interested in the personal hygiene habits of Asian
elephants, or want to see some of the indigenous Northwest wildlife,
the Oregon Zoo will educate and spark your imagination.
Story by Patrick Johnson, a free-lance writer based
in Canby, OR.
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