The new year has begun and we can look forward to all the exciting things to come. However, we can also look reflect upon the interesting events that happened in 2016.
This past year, many great events occurred at the Oregon Zoo. The zoo's Facebook page was constantly updated with adorable videos and stories. Here is a list of seven notable moments at the Oregon Zoo in 2016.
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1. The Zoo Welcomed A New Polar Bear
Conrad and Tasul, twin polar bears that arrived in Portland in 1986, were euthanized earlier this year due to medical issues. Now, the Oregon Zoo has Nora! She was born in November 2015 at the Columbus zoo and moved to the Oregon Zoo in 2016. The young bear recently made her public debut when the viewing areas of the polar bear habitat were reopened at the end of November.
2. The Zoo Established A $1 Million Fund For Elephant Conservation
This permanent fund will help the zoo do what it can to protect Asian elephants. Two notable elephants at the Oregon Zoo are Packy and Lily. Packy turned 54 this year and is the tallest and oldest elephant in North America. Meanwhile, Lily is the youngest elephant at the zoo and recently turned four.
3. Humboldt Penguin Chicks Were Born
Several new chicks joined the zoo's Humboldt penguin colony in December. The little chicks will become almost as tall as adult Humboldts by spring. Wild Humboldt penguins live along the South American coastline by Peru and Chile. They are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and were granted protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 2010.
4. The Zoo Adopted A Sloth
The zoo has a sloth! Once they find the right place for her, Josie will be viewable.
5. Montane Fox Kits Were Caught On Camera For The First Time
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Jon Nelson, the wildlife coordinator at the High Desert Museum, looked through the April footage from a camera trap that was located along the Cascades Mountain Range in the Deschutes National Forest. The brief footage of the Sierra Nevada red fox family confirmed his belief that there was an active den in the area. He has been tracking the rare foxes and suspects that there are more dens out there. The Oregon Zoo Foundation's Future for Wildlife program supported the project.
6. They Gave A GoPro To A Chimp
Chloe is the zoo's oldest chimpanzee at age 46 and has recently became the dominant chimp in her troop. She took over a GoPro placed in her habitat and documented her day's activities. She has played around with technology before, so she knew what to do.
7. Snow Days At The Zoo
Snow hit the Portland area in December and the zoo animals seemed to enjoy it the most.
This is just scratching the surface of what the zoo accomplished this year. Check out the zoo's website for even more news.
