The Wolves Return To Oregon Zoo

By Bill LaMarche 

Portland, OR - After a five-month hiatus, the wolf exhibit reopens Friday, Dec. 12, with the addition of two new wolves acquired from the Minnesota Zoo.

The pair, an 8-year-old adult female named Cheyenne and a 7-month-old female named Yazhi (Navajo for "little one"), will move into the wolf habitat in the zoo's Elk Meadow, continuing that exhibit's unique predator-prey configuration.

"The wolves have been dearly missed by both zoo staff and the public," said Chris Pfefferkorn, the zoo's general curator. "The elk, on the other hand, may not have missed them as much as we did. But having the animals back together should be quite enriching for all of them."

Cheyenne and Yazhi were not familiar with each other before arriving at the zoo, but staff members worked hard to acquaint the pair during the wolves' stay in quarantine, before releasing them into their exhibit earlier this week. Keepers expect the two to form a pack in which the young Yazhi learns from Cheyenne.

Wolves are notoriously difficult to acquaint with one another," said Michelle Schireman, zoo hospital and quarantine keeper. "It was a noisy but successful process, and both wolves came away unharmed. Cheyenne, being the older and more experienced of the two, emerged as the alpha wolf, like we expected."

The Oregon Zoo has consistently had wolves on exhibit since June 1995, when it acquired three wolf pups -- Marcus, Ceann and Kira. All three lived to be 12 years old and spent their entire lives at the Oregon Zoo. Marcus, the last wolf on exhibit, was euthanized in July due to complications relating to old age.

"It was very important for us to bring wolves back to the Oregon Zoo," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "Once a significant character in the Great Northwest ecosystem, wolves were virtually extirpated in this region. They have returned in places such as Montana and Idaho, and will most likely be back in Oregon in the near future. It is important, as the zoo teaches about the roles of predators in nature and how people can live with them, that we don't forget to talk about what's in our own backyard."

Originally housed in the zoo's Alaska Tundra exhibit, the wolves' space was moved to Elk Meadow in 2007 and occupies about 10,000 square feet. The terrain features natural contours that slope from a shady spot downhill up to a sunny knoll, and is seeded with grasses and native Northwest trees and shrubs. Boulders and mounds create places for the wolves to explore and climb for better vantage points, as well as spaces where keepers can stash food and treats. A rock "tunnel" den in one of the mounds gives the wolves a place to seek cover while still on view to the public.

The wolf exhibit is open during regular zoo hours and is free with zoo admission.

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 9 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 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $9.75 (12-64), seniors $8.25 (65+), children $6.75 (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.

Photo 1: Seven-month-old Yazhi (Navajo for "little one") is one of two new wolves moving in at the Oregon Zoo this week. Yazhi has black and brown markings. Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.
Photo 2: Cheyenne, an 8-year-old wolf from Minnesota, explores her new home at the Oregon Zoo. Cheyenne is grayish white. Photo by Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.