Oregon Zoo

Oregon Zoo
Main entrance in January 2024.
Map
45°30′30″N 122°42′53″W / 45.50833°N 122.71472°W / 45.50833; -122.71472
Date opened1888; 136 years ago (1888)
LocationWashington Park, Portland, Oregon, United States
Land area64 acres (26 ha)[1]
No. of animals1,800[1]
No. of species232[1]
Annual visitors1.7 million[2]
MembershipsAZA[3] WAZA[4]
Major exhibitsThe Great Northwest, Africa Savanna, Africa Rainforest, Elephant Lands
Websitewww.oregonzoo.org

The Oregon Zoo, originally the Portland Zoo and later the Washington Park Zoo,[5][6] is a zoo located in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of downtown Portland. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River.[7]

The 64-acre (26 ha) zoo is owned by the regional Metro government. It currently holds more than 1,800 animals of more than 230 species, including 19 endangered species and 9 threatened species.[1] The zoo also boasts an extensive plant collection throughout its animal exhibits and specialized gardens.[8] The zoo also operates and maintains the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Washington Park & Zoo Railway that previously connected to the International Rose Test Garden inside the park, but currently runs only within the zoo.

The Oregon Zoo is Oregon's largest paid and arguably most popular visitor attraction, with more than 1.7 million visitors in 2018.[2] The zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d "About the Oregon Zoo". Oregon Zoo. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Jaquiss, Nigel (February 13, 2019). "A Mysterious Aardvark Death Is Just One of a Number of New Questions About Management at the Oregon Zoo". Willamette Week.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference aza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "WAZA Members - WAZA". waza.org/. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference zoohistory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Portland's zoo is now named Oregon Zoo". The Oregonian. April 25, 1998.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference birth of the bond was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Botanical collection". Oregon Zoo. Retrieved 2018-01-02.