Rare Species At Oregon Zoo

There are many natural parks in Oregon, some of which are home to thousands of species both flora and fauna. But when you’re in the urban jungle, Oregon Zoo in Portland, is worth a visit. It is home to a community of wild animals, and is notably the world’s leading zoo in animal welfare and conservation.

The zoo, which sits on over 64 acres, has a number of rare and endangered species as well. It has taken it upon itself to conserve these animals because of the ripple effects that would occur if a species was wiped out of existence. In the words of the late John Muir,

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.

Here are some rare species that you will find at Oregon zoo.

Malayan Sun Bear

Malayan Sun Bear

These bears are common in parts of Southeast Asia. They are also commonly referred to as honey bears. This is because they usually like eating honey as well as the bees in the nests, oblivious of their stings. The Malayan sun bear are a threatened species due to the rampant deforestation that has been destroying their natural habitat. There are also hunted down illegally because of the lax enforcement of the law. There are currently two female sun bears in Oregon Zoo.

Babirusa Pig

Babirusa Pig

The babirusa pig is found in a few Indonesian islands. They are an endangered species due to habitat loss and hunting and there are currently two resident babirusa pigs. The babirusa pigs have a mating habit more often seen among larger African mammal. The males usually fight each other with their tusks with the main aim being to break those of the other.

Amur Leopard

Amur Leopard

This is one of the rarest and most critically endangered species in the world. There are slightly less than 40 Amur leopards in the entire world. Usually found in north-eastern China and the south-eastern most part of Russia, near the Korean peninsula, he main causes for their fall in numbers can be attributed to habitat loss, depletion of prey and most notably, poaching. Its fur can usually grow to 3 inches in extremely cold periods like winter. Oregon Zoo currently has one Amur leopard that happens to be a female.

Asian Elephant

Asian Elephant

The Asian elephant is one of the most elegant animals in the Asian continent. However, they have started to become endangered as a result of human wildlife conflict, habitat loss, and deforestation. There are currently 25,000-50,000 Asian elephants in the world of which seven can be found at the zoo.

Amur Tiger

Amur Tiger

The Amur tiger, just like the Amur leopard which takes its name from the habitat’s Amur River basin, is about to become extinct. There are less than 400 Amur tigers in the world. Their population depletion is as a result of poaching and habitat loss due to deforestation. They are mainly found in North Korea, South Eastern Russia and China. Oregon Zoo currently holds two Amur tigers known as Mikhail and Nicole.

Apart from the animals in Oregon Zoo, there are other natural, less well-known attractions that you can visit in Oregon as well. Check them out here.