Oregon Zoo
The most fun a family can have in the Portland area is at the Oregon Zoo! From the first bear in 1888 to the lively and thriving collection of animals today, the Oregon Zoo has a wonderful history and setting for the animals comfort and the enjoyment of visitors.
The first benchmark the Oregon Zoo accomplished was growing to have 300 animals in 1894, just six years after inception. The next big achievement was in 1954 when a ballot measure passed to move the zoo’s location. The year 1962 marked another huge milestone that only the Oregon Zoo could claim to fame: the first elephant born in the U.S. in 40 years.
As the years went by, different species and habitats were added to accommodate a large variety interests and providing more attractions and learning opportunities for visitors. A children’s zoo was created to cater to a younger visitor with fun activities for kids.
Species from Africa are situated in three specific habitats that make up the largest section of the zoo: the rainforest, the rainforest aviary and the savanna. Bats, crocodiles, monkeys and flamingos are some of the smaller creatures to see while the giraffes, tortoises and rhinos are spectacular, too! Predators of the Serengeti is another portion of the African section and offers glimpses of lions, cheetahs, pythons and chameleons roaming about.
Another popular section of the Oregon Zoo is Elephant Lands. This feature provides visitors a view into a world-class habitat. The Asian elephants that live there wander freely grazing, socializing and swimming. Five animals live in this habitat and are part of larger conservation, education and protection effort.
From insects and birds to penguins and polar bears, the Oregon Zoo has hundreds of animals and creatures for you to learn about, view and interact with. Take some time to spend the day getting to know this local point of interest!
Up next is the Portland Japanese Garden