It wasn't a surprise that the Oregon Zoo was reaccredited at the annual Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conference in September 2010. But officials were pleasantly surprised when it was announced the Oregon Zoo also received the prestigious AZA Exhibit Award for its Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. The zoo shared this year's award with its Northwest neighbor, Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, which was honored for its Humboldt penguin exhibit.
This award is the highest honor for new exhibits, and the Oregon Zoo is on the leading edge of zoological exhibits in North America, said AZA president Jim Maddy. This exhibit demonstrates the Oregon Zoo's dedication to the best in animal care and public education.
Predators of the Serengeti, which features lions, cheetahs and wild dogs, opened in the fall of 2009 and was one of 12 exhibits under consideration for the AZA award. The exhibit has also received an Excellence in Concrete Award for craftsmanship, and an independent evaluator called Predators of the Serengeti an excellent model to which all zoo exhibit designers should look.
The zoo also received reaccreditation by the AZA. The accreditation process, which takes place every five years, provides a review of all aspects of the zoo.
General admission to the zoo is $10.50 (ages 12-64), $9 for seniors (65 and up), $7.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for visitors 2 and younger. Twenty-five cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program.
The Details
Oregon Zoowww.oregonzoo.org
