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Tag: Oregon Zoo

  • Oregon Zoo Celebrates Tula-Tu’s First Birthday, Sunday – KXL

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    Tula-Tu, January 2026; courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

    Portland, Ore. – The Oregon Zoo hosts a first birthday celebration Sunday for the state’s LARGEST celebrity. 

    Tula-Tu is just like any other toddler. “She knows she’s the center of attention,” says Steve Lefave, who oversees the Oregon Zoo’s elephant care program, “She demands that.” At one year old, he says she is happy and healthy, “She’s just about at a thousand pounds. We’re not quite there, but we’re just about to cross that threshold, and that’s right on track for a calf at this age.”

    While Tula has captured the hearts of zoo visitors and millions of fans online, Lefave says she also changes the dynamic of her herd, with adult elephants helping to care for her. “The social dynamic is kind of a glue, if you will, that brings the herd a bit closer together. It can sometimes cause changes in relationships. So it’s just a very dynamic time for the herd.”

    Female elephants typically stay with their herd, so we’ll get to watch her mature. “We’ll see her continue to grow and become ‘Punkier,’ is the term that we use with young elephants – you know, they’ll get in trouble, they explore a lot of things; very curious,” says Lefave, laughing, “That trunk can get into a lot of places; it’ll get you into trouble sometimes.”

    Tula was an immediate sensation, following her 2025 birth. “Times are kind of odd and people are looking for something positive to pay attention to,” says Lefave. “She just brings joy to anybody, from a little kid to our elders, when they’re visiting. It’s nice to see that universal joy, if you will, come from this little life that’s running around.”

    The Oregon Zoo hosts a birthday celebration Sunday, from 9:30 to 4. Click HERE for more information. The first 500 guests receive a birthday gift from the Portland Fire WNBA team.

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    Heather Roberts

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  • Oregon Zoo Looking For Conservation Connections Volunteers – KXL

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    Volunteers help guests at a treat station during Howloween at the Oregon Zoo. Courtesy Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

    PORTLAND, OR – Looking to connect with something wild in the year ahead? The Oregon Zoo is inviting community members to apply to become volunteers, with applications now open through January 23rd.

    Zoo officials say volunteers play a vital role in shaping visitors’ experiences and helping advance the zoo’s mission of wildlife conservation and education.

    “Our volunteers help visitors make unforgettable connections — and hopefully learn something new along the way,” said James Stewart, the zoo’s interpretive supervisor. “The impact they have is key to the zoo’s mission: connecting our community to the wonder of wildlife to create a better future for all.”

    Current volunteer opportunities are focused on event support. Volunteers will assist with wayfinding for guests, share information and stories about animals and conservation efforts, and help support activities during evening and weekend special events.

    The zoo says the roles are a great fit for people who enjoy engaging with the public, learning about wildlife and contributing to a meaningful cause in a dynamic, outdoor setting.

    Those interested in learning more or submitting an application can visit oregonzoo.org/volunteer.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • Record-Breaking Cascades Pika Watch Comes To End – KXL

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    American pika in the Columbia River Gorge. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

    PORTLAND, OR – New survey data from Cascades Pika Watch shows numbers of a potato-sized critter are on the rise, and that is significant for the Columbia River Gorge environment.

    Pikas are related to rabbit, and they are known for their distinctive, squeak-toy-like calls.  They typically live on mountain slopes at elevations above 6,000 feet, but a unique low-elevation population is living at the Gorge, just a half hour from Portland.  However, the pika habitat was severely damaged in the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, and their population declined.

    Now, volunteer observers report the pika population in the area has been steadily increasing. Last year, those volunteers spotted pikas at more than two-thirds of the sites surveyed, and that number rose even higher here in 2025.

    “This year we found pikas at 82% of sites surveyed, which is close to the pre-fire population numbers,” said Dr. Johanna Varner, a biologist at Colorado Mesa University and the scientific adviser for the Cascades Pika Watch program. “This is great news for the Gorge pika population.”

    Not only is it good news for pikas, but it’s also good news the overall environment, according to Dr. Varner.  She says the pika is an “indicator species.”  The animals are sensitive to even slight environmental changes.  A shrinking population is considered a bad sign for the environment, while a healthy population is a good sign for all life– plants and animals– in the Gorge.

    For the first time, Cascades Pika Watch ventured east as well this year, partnering with the High Desert Museum and Discover Your Forest to survey for pikas in Central Oregon. Trained volunteers detected pikas at 11 out of 27 sites in the region.

    “We’re excited to begin the process of monitoring pikas in Central Oregon,” said Jon Nelson, who oversees citizen science programming at the High Desert Museum. “Pikas may be small, but they can tell us a lot about the larger ecosystems where they live.”

    There is a need for more volunteers to help with the next pika observation season.  Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer.

    “Each year this program has gotten bigger and better,” Varner said. “The future of Cascades Pika Watch is really bright, and there’s still plenty of room for more people to get involved.”

     

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    Tim Lantz

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  • African Lion Zawadi At Oregon Zoo Gets Special Care In Golden Years – KXL

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    Male lion Zawadi in Predators of the Serengeti. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

    PORTLAND, OR – One of the oldest male lions in North America is now 18-years-old, according to officials at the Oregon Zoo.  At 18, Zawadi is now considered a senior citizen among African lions, and he gets a lot of special care and attention.

    “We have a team of veterinarians, nutritionists, care staff and maintenance workers who collaborate to give Zawadi the best life possible,” said Kelly Gomez, who oversees the zoo’s Africa area. “He’s a pampered cat, as he should be at his age.”

    Earlier this year, the Oregon Zoo staff noticed some weakness in Zawadi’s back legs.  They said this is typical for big cats — he weighs over 450 pounds — but it can also put stress on their joints.

    Since then, maintenance workers added ramps inside the lion habitat, so Zawadi could still safely climb the rocks there. And the zoo’s veterinary team developed a regimen of physical therapy and cold-laser treatments to help strengthen his muscles and reduce inflammation. The results have been promising.

    “Zawadi is doing very well with his therapeutic treatments,” said Dr. Carlos Sanchez, the zoo’s head veterinarian. “His legs are stronger, his mobility is improving, and he seems to be feeling good.”

    In the wild, male lions seldom live past the age of 12. While Zawadi is in his late teens, Gomez says he is doing well for an elderly cat.

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    Tim Lantz

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  • Annual Squash Squishing Leads To Pulverized Pumpkins – KXL

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    Shine and Chendra chomp on pumpkin at the Oregon Zoo; Oct. 16, 2025.

    Portland, Ore. – Two massive elephants demolished two almost equally large pumpkins at the Oregon Zoo on Thursday. Portland third grader Lucy provides an eyewitness account, “I saw an elephant stomping on a pumpkin, and then they ate the pumpkins.” Those elephants were 42-year-old Asian elephant Sung-Surin (known as “Shine”) and 33-year-old Bornean elephant Chendra.

    “I think their tusks are short,” says Lucy, “So they can’t do that with their tusks. So they have to do it with their feet.” The gorgeous gourds they stomped were between 400 and 700 pounds. A 1,000 pumpkin was later pulverized by pachyderms Samudra and Samson. 

    The traditional Squishing of the Squash, now in its 26th year, is all about enrichment. “These two; the novelty of it is encouraging for these particular elephants,” says the Zoo’s Marcus Jason. “Dietarily, that’s way too much food for them,” he adds, “It’s kind of like our holiday feasts for them.” He says, “It will be eaten, and the rest of it will be discarded into our compost bin to be mixed up with the elephants will give back to us when they’re done eating; if you know what I’m saying.”

    Rose-Tu and baby Tula-Tu prepare to play with a regular sized pumpkin at the Oregon Zoo; Oct. 16, 2025.

    At just eight months old, baby Tula-Tu is too small to take part this year, but did play with a regular-sized pumpkin. Again, Lucy provides details, “It looked like it was playing soccer.” Jason says Tula-Tu’s mom then gobbled down the gourd, “You wouldn’t give your eight month old a giant steak to eat; it’s not healthy. And this much pumpkin is not healthy for the baby.”

    Pumpkins used in this year’s event were provided by Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers Club member Larry Nelson.

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    Heather Roberts

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  • Oregon Zoo Seeks Volunteers For ‘Conservation Connections’ – KXL

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    Volunteer Randy Kum speaks to a guest in front of the Bontebok habitat. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham

    PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon Zoo is looking for some people who are interested getting a little wild. They are accepting applications to join the zoo’s volunteer program on the zoo website.

    “Our volunteers help visitors make unforgettable connections — and hopefully learn something new along the way,” said zoo interpretive supervisor James Stewart. “The impact they have is key to the zoo’s mission: connecting our community to the wonder of wildlife to create a better future for all.”

    Stewart says they are specifically looking for people interested in Event Support and Habitat Roving opportunities.

    Event Support roles involve helping guests, sharing information, stories and conservation messages, while also supporting event activities during evening and weekend special events.

    Habitat Roving volunteers are asked to engage with zoo visitors, share information, and answer questions about the zoo’s animals and ongoing conservation efforts.

    The deadline to apply is August 29th.

    To learn more about volunteer opportunities and submit your application, go to oregonzoo.org/volunteer.

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    Tim Lantz

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