Editing Oregon Zoo (section)

==History==

=== Founding ===
[[File:Visitors at Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, circa 1909 (AL+CA 1788).jpg|thumb|Washington Park was known as City Park until 1909. Charles M. Meyers was the first park keeper and he transformed the wilderness area into a park filled with drives, walkways, gardens, lawns and a zoo.]]

The Oregon Zoo was founded in 1888,<ref name="zoohistory">{{cite web | url=http://www.oregonzoo.org/about/about-oregon-zoo/history | title=History <nowiki>[of Oregon Zoo]</nowiki> | publisher=Oregon Zoo | access-date=April 11, 2012 | archive-date=April 20, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420061452/http://www.oregonzoo.org/about/about-oregon-zoo/history | url-status=dead }}</ref> making it the oldest North American zoo west of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]].<ref name="birth of the bond">{{cite web | url=http://www.oregonzoo.org/about/thanks-you-better-zoo/you-and-new-zoo/birth-bond | title=The birth of the bond | publisher=Oregon Zoo | access-date=April 11, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519092524/http://www.oregonzoo.org/about/thanks-you-better-zoo/you-and-new-zoo/birth-bond | archive-date=May 19, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> It all began with two bears purchased by Richard Knight – one brown bear and one grizzly.<ref name="oreg58mar16">Goodall, Mary (March 16, 1958). "‘Patron Saint’ of Portland's Zoo Collected Animals, Birds at Drug Store Near Waterfront". ''The Sunday Oregonian'', p. 41.</ref><ref name="oreg1888may17">"More Attractions for the Menagerie: Two Bears to be Added to the Free Show on Morrison Street". ''The Morning Oregonian'', May 17, 1888, p. 8.</ref> A former seaman turned pharmacist, Knight began collecting animals from his seafaring friends. He kept his collection in the back of his drug store on Third & Morrison streets. When caring for the animals became too large a responsibility he sought to sell them to the city of Portland.  Instead of buying the animals, the city offered to give Knight two circus cages and allowed him to place the caged bears on the grounds of City Park (now called Washington Park).<ref name="oreg58mar16"/>

Care and feeding of the bears, however, still fell to the Knight family and friends. It was not long before Knight addressed the city council again regarding the bears. Just five months later, he offered to donate the bears, along with their cages, to the city. Portland City Council accepted his offer<ref name="oreg58mar16"/> on November 7, 1888, and thus began the '''Portland Zoo'''.<ref name="zoohistory"/> Located in Washington Park, it was sometimes referred to as the Washington Park Zoo.<ref>"Dock Boss Finds Office Occupied by Young Deer: Washington Park Zoo in Line for Another Pet, but Loses Out by Very Narrowest of Margins". ''The Morning Oregonian'', June 28, 1928, p. 16.</ref><ref name="oreg76oct2">"Zoo contest prize taken by old name." ''The Oregonian'', October 2, 1976, p. 1.</ref>

By 1894, there were over 300 animals in the zoo’s collection. In 1925, the zoo moved to the site of the present [[Portland Japanese Garden]], still within Washington Park.

=== Hoyt Park ===
The zoo moved again in 1958–59 to its current site, designed by [[Lawrence, Tucker & Wallmann]].<ref name="pp">{{cite book | last=Snyder | first=Eugene E. | title=Portland Potpourri | publisher=[[Binford & Mort]] | location=[[Portland, Oregon]] | year=1991 | pages=73–79 | isbn=0-8323-0493-X }}</ref> This was located in Hoyt Park, west of Washington Park,<ref name="oreg64apr12">Holm, Don (April 12, 1964). "Pittock Estate Needed to Complete Wondrous Park System". ''[[The Oregonian]]'', pp. 40–41.</ref> but some years later the two parks were combined as Washington Park. At this time, the [[Washington Park and Zoo Railway|Portland Zoo Railway]] was constructed to connect the zoo to its former site in Washington Park and other attractions there. The zoo's move to the new, much larger site was made in stages, over more than a year, with the first animals being moved in spring 1958 and limited public access being opened in June 1958, one day after the first section of the Zoo Railway opened.<ref name="oreg59jun8">"Many See Zoo, Train". ''The Oregonian'', June 9, 1958, p. 15.</ref>  During the transition period the new zoo was only open on weekends, as most animals were still at the old site awaiting completion of their new enclosures.<ref name="oreg58aug8">"Russian Bears Inspect New Home at Zoo". ''The Oregonian'', August 8, 1958, p. 26.</ref>  However, the new railway operated six days a week until mid-September. Meanwhile, the old zoo remained in operation, but in May 1959 was restricted to pedestrian access only, closed to automobile access, for its last months of operation.<ref name="oreg58may27">"Zoo Opening Pushed Back 2 to 4 Weeks". ''The Oregonian'', May 27, 1959, p. 1.</ref>

=== Washington Park ===
[[File:The Continuity of Life Forms mosaic.jpg|thumb|''The Continuity of Life Forms'', a 1959 mosaic by Willard Martin, is one of the many artworks at the zoo.]]
The zoo at its current site opened on July 3, 1959.<ref name=oreg59jul4>Richards, Leverett G. (July 4, 1959). "Joy Reigns Supreme at West Hills Zoo As Wonders of New Park Are Unveiled". ''The Oregonian'', p. 1.</ref>  It was renamed the '''Portland Zoological Gardens''' at that time,<ref name="zoohistory"/> but remained commonly known as the Portland Zoo. The elephants and big cats were not moved to the new zoo until November.<ref>"Balky Elephants Moved By Force to New Home". ''The Oregonian'', November 4, 1959, p. 14.</ref><ref>"Move to New Zoo Set for Big Cats". ''The Oregonian'', November 10, 1959, p. 19.</ref>  A new interchange was constructed on the adjacent freeway, the [[Sunset Highway (Oregon)|Sunset Highway]], for better access to the new zoo.<ref>"Road to Open to New Zoo". ''The Oregonian'', October 10, 1959, p. 5.</ref>

=== Elephants ===
The zoo rose it popularity locally in 1953, when Rosy the [[Asian elephant]] was acquired. The zoo became world-famous in 1962 when the Asian elephant [[Packy (elephant)|"Packy"]] was born.  He was the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in 44 years and was (as of 2010) the tallest Asian elephant in the United States at 10.5&nbsp;ft (3.2 m) tall. A total of 28 more calves have been born at the Oregon Zoo, including seven sired by Packy (two of which, Shine and Rama, remained at the zoo), making it the most successful zoo elephant breeding program in the world.  On August 23, 2008, Rose-Tu, the granddaughter of the zoo's first elephant Rosy, gave birth to a son named Samudra. The birth made Samudra the first third-generation captive-born elephant in North America.<ref>{{cite news |title=Free the elephants! Problems plague the Oregon Zoo's pachyderms |url=http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=3107 |newspaper=[[Willamette Week]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050217164242/http://wweek.com/story.php?story=3107 |archive-date=2005-02-17 }}</ref>

Attendance in 1962, the year Packy was born, was 1.2&nbsp;million people.<ref name="oreg76mar25">{{cite news|last=Richards|first=Leverett|title=New director predicts bright spring look for Portland Zoo|work=The Oregonian|date=March 25, 1976|page=A21}}</ref> Over the next several years, the number of animals declined, from 450 (representing 150 species) in 1962 to 386 (representing 123 species) in 1976, and annual attendance also declining over the same period, reaching its lowest point in 1975, with 448,198 visitors.<ref name="oreg76mar25"/>

On February 9, 2017, Oregon Zoo staff decided to euthanize Packy after a long struggle with drug-resistant tuberculosis. He was laid to rest at an unidentified city-owned "wooded, grassy area" that is not open to the public.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/02/oregon_zoo_employees_visitors.html | title=Oregon Zoo employees, visitors mourn death of Packy, Portland's 54-year-old elephant | first=Lizzie | last=Acker | date=February 9, 2017 | newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] | access-date=9 February 2017 | archive-date=26 April 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426075843/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/02/oregon_zoo_employees_visitors.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Metropolitan Service District ===
[[File:Zooliner train - Washington Park & Zoo Railway, cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Washington Park and Zoo Railway|The Washington Park and Zoo Railway's]] ''Zooliner'' train.]]
Until 1971, the zoo was operated by the City, and then by the Portland Zoological Society under contract to the City.<ref name="zoohistory"/><ref>Sullivan, Ann (July 2, 1971). "Zoo's new director stresses education". ''The Oregonian'', p. 26.</ref><ref name="oreg78oct21">"Change at zoo".  ''The Oregonian'', October 21, 1978, p. A22. Editorial.</ref> In 1976, area voters approved a tax levy plan under which the zoo was taken over by the [[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metropolitan Service District]] (or MSD, now known as [[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metro]]).<ref name="oreg76may27">"Zoo plans expansion following levy approval". ''The Oregonian'', May 27, 1976, p. C3.</ref> Ownership of the zoo passed to Metro on July 1, 1976. Metro has continued expansion projects, aided by donors, sponsors and volunteers.<ref name="zoohistory"/>

Later in 1976, MSD renamed the zoo the '''Washington Park Zoo'''<ref name="zoohistory"/> after a naming contest.<ref name="oreg76oct2"/> The railway was renamed the [[Washington Park and Zoo Railway]] two years later. The decline in attendance seen in the 1960s and 1970s eventually began to reverse, and the zoo recorded 752,632 visitors in 1984 and 897,189 in 1986.<ref name="oreg87jan7">{{cite news|last=Federman|first=Stan|title=Zoo year 2nd-best at gate|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=January 7, 1987|page=B2}}</ref>

=== Oregon Zoo ===
[[File:Oregon Zoo Veterinary Medical Center - Portland, Oregon.jpg|thumb|Veterinary Medical Center completed in 2014.]]
The Metro Council changed the zoo's name from the Washington Park Zoo to the '''Oregon Zoo''' in April 1998.<ref name="renamed"/> In September of that year, the zoo became accessible by the region's [[MAX Light Rail|MAX light rail]] system, with the opening of a [[MAX Blue Line|Westside MAX]] line featuring an underground [[Washington Park (MAX station)|Washington Park station]].<ref>"Go west, young MAX" (September 9, 1998). ''The Oregonian'' (special section).</ref> In 2003, the zoo began participation in a [[condor|California condor]] recovery program started by [[San Diego Wild Animal Park]] and [[Los Angeles Zoo]]. The program is designed to breed California condors to be released into the wild and save them from extinction.<ref>{{cite news|title=Condor egg could herald return of giant |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/03/condor.egg.ap/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=April 3, 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070408053012/http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/04/03/condor.egg.ap/index.html |archive-date=April 8, 2007 }}</ref>

In November 2008, regional voters approved a $125 million bond measure to improve infrastructure, enhance older exhibits and increase access to conservation education and the degree of sustainability.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://wichita.bizjournals.com/wichita/othercities/portland/stories/2008/11/17/story10.html | title=PCC, Zoo expect to face more robust bond market | last=Siemers | first=Erik | date=November 14, 2008 | newspaper=Portland Business Journal | access-date=2009-09-24}}</ref> Attendance at the zoo reached a record 1.6 million visitors for their 2008 to 2009 year.<ref name="zaav">{{cite news | url=http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-1741-Oregon_Zoo%27s_Baby_Elephant_Helps_Smash_Attendance_Records | title=Oregon Zoo's Baby Elephant Helps Smash Attendance Records | last=LaMarche | first=Bill | date=July 1, 2009 | work=Zoo and Aquarium Visitor | access-date=2009-09-24 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217173258/http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-1741-Oregon_Zoo's_Baby_Elephant_Helps_Smash_Attendance_Records | archive-date=December 17, 2009 }}</ref> The record was due in part to the birth of another baby elephant.<ref name="zaav"/> A new record was set the following year with 1,612,359 people visiting the zoo.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/01/despite_economy_oregon_zoo_set.html | title=Despite economy, Oregon Zoo sets attendance record with more than 1.6 million visitors | first=Eric | last=Mortenson | date=January 7, 2010 | newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] | access-date=12 January 2010 | archive-date=15 January 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115061526/http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/01/despite_economy_oregon_zoo_set.html | url-status=live }}</ref> The zoo again brought in more than 1.7 million visitors in 2018.<ref name="Jaquiss" />