Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2005)
Page 24 The INDEPENDENT, July 21, 2005 Zoo’s California condor facility currently in phase II construction The Oregon Zoo’s 16 Cali fornia condors at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conserva tion will soon have more room for nesting and breeding, as well as a new training space where they’ll learn the ins and outs of condor customs and culture prior to being released into the wild. Construction on phase two is under way with construction on the third (final) phase scheduled to begin on August 1. The expansion should be completed by Octo ber 24. The expansion includes a mesh-covered breeding facility plus the addition of a mesh-cov ered pre-release “boot camp” area with a small holding build ing. A $235,000 contribution to the Oregon Zoo Foundation from Erik Jonsson, representing the Jonsson family, enabled the zoo to continue with these final phases of construction. The breeding facility addition is approximately 19,500 square feet and provides for eight addi tional breeding pairs in two buildings. The “boot cam p” pre-release pens, when finished, will pro vide young condors the final round of training needed before they are sent to the wild for re lease. “Although there are no im mediate plans to release con dors in Oregon, I believe the expansion at the Jonsson Cen ter for W ildlife Conservation brings us closer to one day seeing California condors in Oregon skies,” says Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. The last condors were seen in Oregon in 1904, near the town of Drain, in southwest Oregon. Condors held out a lit tle longer in California, but in 1987, there were only 27 left in the wild. In an attempt to save the species, biologists decided to place all the remaining con dors into a captive breeding program. W hen Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the Califor nia condor was one of the origi nal animals included on the list. Condors have a long history in Oregon. Archeologists have unearthed 9,000-year-old con dor bones from Native Ameri can middens. The condor was a common design motif of the Wasco people, who lived along the Columbia River from The Dalles to Cascade Locks-the condor was considered a helper to the native peoples and a key character in many myths. The Oregon Zoo is the fourth organization in the nation invit ed to join the California Condor Recovery Program. The recov ery goal for the condor program is to establish a captive popula tion of 150 birds and two sepa rate wild populations of con dors (150 each), one in Califor nia and the other in Arizona. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Condor Re covery Program coordinate and implement the recovery efforts and provide oversight of all pro gram partners. Condors are the largest land birds in North America, with wingspans of up to ten feet, and weigh between 18 and 24 pounds. They are highly intelli gent and inquisitive, often en gaging in play. During the Pleis tocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago, the condors’ range extended across much of North America. By 1940, the range was reduced to the coastal mountains of southern California. The zoo opens at 9:00 a.m. daily and is located just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. G eneral adm ission is $9.50 (12-64), seniors $8 (65+), children $6.50 (3-11), and infants two and under are free. A parking fee of $1 per car is also required. Additional in form ation is available at «cwww.oregonzoo.org> or by calling 503-226-1561. (Momma (Morning (Mist Out On A Limb 919 Bridge St. • Vernonia • 503-429-7009 (More (gifts 919 Bridge St.* Vernonia • 503-429-7009 M$CKBEAR COFPEE COMPANYf f c VERNONIA, OREGON You LUon’t Be Late, LUe Rre Open Until 8:00! Jeanette's Collectables 503-429-0215 854 Bridge Street and 503-429-0335 902 Bridge Street Vernonia B eginning in August, Every 2nd and 4th Thursday, We w ill be open u n til 8:00 p.m . August September October November December 11 & 5 9 & 23 14&28 11 & 25 9 & 23 «Ihe Clever Cricl^» 831 Bridge Street Vernonia 503 429 0214 503-429-4102 715 Bridge Street Vernonia © u e k l£ b £ r r y C o tta g e New, Used and Handmade Items for 711 Bridge Street Children and Their Familits 971-998-2223 a Treasure awaits you 503-429-0706902 Bridge Street
