OREGON ZOO ORANGUTAN DIES AFTER EXTENDED ILLNESS

PORTLAND, OR

The Oregon Zoo is preparing for its upcoming Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ accreditation inspection. The AZA committee will visit the zoo in late July and will review all aspects of zoo operations, including animal care, exhibits, conservation, education, guest services, facilities and maintenance. “Every five years, the zoo welcomes the AZA accreditation team to scrutinize all of our animal care and operational policies, procedures and facilities,” said Kim Smith, zoo director. “Oregon has a great zoo, and this process allows us to review everything we do so we can make our institution even better.” The staff reviews every detail of zoo operations to determine where improvements can be made, Smith explained. “While we work hard every day to maintain our zoo with regular maintenance activities, the accreditation inspection allows us to really scrutinize everything we do,” she said. “It’s a zoo-wide initiative. Our dedicated staff has been busy repairing cracks in floors, making improvements to our perimeter fence, painting mesh and stalls, remodeling the animal nutrition area, cleaning roofs, and making improvements to various animal holding areas and exhibits.” Planned improvements, updates and repairs include: · Replacing Visqueen with Plexiglas in the otter holding area. · Adding plantings and fencing as a secondary barrier to wolf exhibit.

Yazhi, a gray wolf, relaxes at the Oregon Zoo. The zoo is preparing for its upcoming Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ accreditation inspection. The AZA committee will visit the zoo in late July and will review all aspects of zoo operations, including animal care, conservation and education programs, facilities and maintenance efforts, and guest services. In 1974, the Oregon Zoo became the second zoo in the nation to be accredited by the AZA. Photo by Kevin Brown, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

“However, what we’re most excited about is that we’re close to starting construction of our new Veterinary Medical Center,” Smith added. “Our outdated hospital was deemed insufficient on a previous accreditation inspection. We were able to address this major deficiency because Metro-area voters generously passed a $125 million measure aimed at protecting animal health and safety.”

In 1974, the Oregon Zoo became the second zoo in the country to earn the distinction of being accredited by the AZA, which sets industry-wide standards for prominent zoos around the country. Zoos must be reaccredited every five years.“We want everything to be spectacular for the AZA team’s upcoming visit. I know they will be very
impressed with our community zoo and the tremendous support we receive from the public. This is our opportunity to shine.”

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 toconservation, 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.

The zoo opens at 8 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. Visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call
TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $10.50 (ages 12-64), $9 for seniors (65 and up), $7.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for those 2 and younger; 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.

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Oregon Zoo ¨ 4001 SW Canyon Rd. ¨ Portland, Oregon 97221 ¨ 503-226-1561