The Oregon Zoo in Portland
  
Founded in 1887, the award-winning Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi. The zoo's 64 acres are home to animals from all corners of the world, including Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins and Arctic polar bears. From the mist-filled Africa Rain Forest to the majestic new Great Northwest exhibits, the zoo encourages visitors to understand and experience the natural world. Committed to conservation of endangered species and their habitats—both locally and around the globe—the zoo is a center for wildlife preservation and field research. The Oregon Zoo’s award-winning education programs serve more than a half-million people both at the zoo and at schools, senior and community centers around the region. A summer concert series, seasonal events and the zoo railway help this popular Oregon attraction draw more than one million visitors each year. The Oregon Zoo is all of this, but it is also a safe place for families to share moments of discovery and fun.

 
From its humble beginnings in the back of a pharmacy in downtown Portland to its prominence as the leading paid attraction in the state of Oregon, the zoo has seen a multitude of changes. Richard Knight, a former seaman, loved animals and collected them as a hobby from his seafaring friends. Having previously occupied two other Washington Park locations, the zoo moved to its present site in 1959.
  
In 1998 The zoo officially became the Oregon Zoo, to better reflect its location, and its emphasis on native wildlife. A new entrance and the first phase of the Great Northwest Exhibit, Cascade Crest, opened to the public.
  
Today the Zoo is home to about 1,029 specimens representing 200 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Of these, 21 species are endangered and 33 are threatened. The zoo is currently active in 21 Species Survival Plans.

The zoo is committed to providing the best possible facility for its animals as well as the community. A comprehensive plan, "A Great Zoo: Framework for the Future," examines the entire zoo, and incorporates the vision, "Caring Now for the Future of Life," into each department's goals for the next 25 years and beyond. The building master plan balances animals, natural habitats, native culture, technology, plantings, and innovative architecture. As always, the zoo will continue to be a source of discovery and fun that allows visitors to understand and experience the natural world and our place in it. For more information, see what we have planned for the future.
  
Zoo Hours
The zoo is open everyday except December 25:
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. September 16 - April 14
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. April 15 - September 15.
*These Dates are subject to change So For more information: 503-226-1561 ext. O