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The Oregon Zoo

The Oregon Zoo -- which used to be called the Washington Park Zoo -- is pretty good, as zoos go. It's known for its elephants -- the star is Packy, the first Asian elephant born in captivity in many years, who was born here in 1962. Lots of other elephants have been born here since then. The zoo is also a participant in the California Condor Recovery Project, though the condors are kept at another facility, not open to the public.

You'll find an interesting aviary full of other birds, which is also a nice warm place to sit on a cold Northwest day; lots of charming primates doing primate things, and a great penguin exhibit.

The zoo got its start in the 19th century with the animal collection -- well, two bears -- of a former sailor whose sailor friends kept bringing him odd animals from around the world.

all text and images © 2005-06 by Bob Keefer
no reproduction allowed in any form without written permission