What:   Four juvenile anacondas will be reintroduced to the Oregon Zoo's Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit.

When:   Friday, Dec. 12, 11 a.m.

Where:  The Oregon Zoo's Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit. Media should meet Bill at Gate D.

Note to editors: Dramatic video of large Amazonian turtles, caiman and fish being returned to the exhibit will be available at the zoo.

PORTLAND, OR -- Finally returning to the trees, rocks and pools they call home, the displaced residents of the Oregon Zoo's Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit have migrated back to their habitats with hisses and howls and sighs of relief. The animals had been transferred to other areas of the zoo, some for several months, while repairs were made to their exhibit.

Around 7 a.m. on July 15, keepers discovered a crack in the glass outside a large pool housing a caiman, some Arrau river turtles and several species of freshwater fish. The exhibit also features a howler monkey, two white-faced saki monkeys and four newly acquired female anacondas.

"All of the animals were relocated the same day the crack appeared," said David Thomas, senior primate keeper. "It was a great team effort. Water specialists, zookeepers, interns and volunteers all came out in full force to quickly resolve the tense situation."

Their efforts were a success, and not a single animal was lost during the transition. Many fish were transferred to nearby pools in the same area and remained on exhibit. Other fish and reptiles were placed in off-exhibit holding areas until they could return to their pool. The howler and saki monkeys were allowed to return to the exhibit once the glass was replaced, but on a tentative basis while crews were in and out of the exhibit making repairs.

"Some of our animals came down with a touch of cabin fever, especially the monkeys," Thomas said. "They're feeling a lot better now that the repairs have been completed and they've returned home."

The new glass was installed late October, and then a few weeks of curing were required to make sure it was properly sealed. The animals were only returned after several tests had been completed to guarantee the safety of the exhibit for both the animals and zoo visitors.

Even though it was a stressful time for the animals of the Amazon Flooded Forest, this situation presented some opportunities the zoo might have otherwise missed out on.

"With the animals relocated, the zoo made some other needed repairs and upgrades to their environment," Thomas said. "We even had teams redesigning the environment to be better suited for the new anacondas and other animals currently residing in the exhibit."

The public was also able to get up-close and personal with the new anacondas during the summer months while their home was being restored. Several additional keeper talks were held, educating the public about the snakes and their way of life.

"The juvenile anacondas were acquired from Brad Tylman, famous for his reptile shows, and they are accustomed to human contact," Thomas said. "This made it a lot easier for keepers to show them to the public and move them back and forth from their exhibit."

The new anacondas and newly repaired Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit can be seen during regular zoo hours.

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, Oregon spotted frogs and western pond turtles. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive $1 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $9.75 (12-64), seniors $8.25 (65+), children $6.75 (3-11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561. Oregon Zoo " 4001 SW Canyon Rd. " Portland, Oregon 97221 " 503-226-1561