Oregon Zoo Acquires Two Special Lions Valued at $100,000

By Bill LaMarche

Portland, OR - The live lions, cheetahs and African wild dogs inside the Oregon Zoo's upcoming Predators of the Serengeti exhibit certainly won't need guarding. But thanks to Banfield, they'll be duly honored.

The pet hospital commissioned five life-size bronze lions on behalf of the zoo. Designed by local artist Jim Gion and valued at $100,000, the sculptures were installed today near the entrance to the highly anticipated exhibit, which opens to the public this fall.

"These graceful sentinels will greet visitors as they arrive at the exhibit," said Brent Shelby, the zoo's exhibit and interpretive design manager. "The bronze pride consists of a majestic male lion caught mid-roar, two alert lionesses and three playful cubs."

"We are honored to partner with the Oregon Zoo to help them create this exceptional exhibit that families will enjoy for years to come," said Karen Johnson, DVM, client advocate for Banfield, The Pet Hospital. "We wanted to share our love of pets and animals by donating these sculptures, which we hope will serve as a reminder of the significant role they play in our lives."

Gion is making additional copies of the sculptures available to interested art collectors for $100,000 each, with proceeds donated to the Predators of the Serengeti exhibit.

With more than 730 hospitals nationwide, Banfield strives to make the highest quality of veterinary care available to pets in the communities it serves. Because pets play such a valuable role in the lives of families, Banfield provides expert care, computerized medical records, Optimum Wellness Plans® for preventive care, convenient locations and extended operating hours. In addition, Banfield helps to extend the lives of more than 4 million Pets each year.

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Washington's pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 8 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $10.50 (12-64), seniors $9 (65+), children $7.50 (3-11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.

Caption: Sculptor Jim Gion peers into the gaping mouth of a life-size bronze lion he created for the Oregon Zoo. Banfield, The Pet Hospital commissioned five lion sculptures for the zoo's upcoming Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.

Oregon Zoo  4001 SW Canyon Rd.  Portland, Oregon 97221   503-226-1561  www.oregonzoo.org

To view Oregon Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-382-Oregon_Zoo