The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Oregon Zoo
Showing posts with label Oregon Zoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oregon Zoo. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Oregon Zoo Names Its Baby Orangutan After One of Dolly Parton's Most Famous Songs

Dolly Parton is an inspiration to many around the world –– including the keepers at the Oregon Zoo in Portland who have named their new baby orangutan after the singer's big hit "Jolene."

According to zoo, Jolene the orangutan was named for her "flaming locks of auburn hair," which references the Patron's description of the sexy bank teller whose "beauty is beyond compare / with flaming locks of auburn hair."

Baby Jolene was born on April 13 to mother Kitra, the zoo's 20-year-old critically endangered Bornean orangutan. According to Kate Gilmer, who oversees the primate area, zookeepers were unable to determine the newborn's sex for weeks as they gave the mom and baby "plenty of room to bond."

To read more on this story, click here: Oregon Zoo Names Its Baby Orangutan After One of Dolly Parton's Most Famous Songs



Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sea Otter Plays Basketball to Help Alleviate Arthritis Pain


Eddie is a bit late for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, since it was just contested this last weekend, but he can dunk with the best of them. Nothing fancy like jumping over a car or ball boy, though. After all, Eddie is a sea otter. And the great thing about Eddie's dunking is that he doesn't do it for show. No, he dunks off stage at the Oregon Zoo to improve his health.

Eddie is 15 years old, geriatric for the species, and suffers from arthritis in the elbows. Veterinarians prescribed regular exercise, and the zookeepers came up with dunking a basketball as the perfect elixir. Eddie caught on quickly.

"He's definitely got game," the zoo's Jenny DeGroot told KPTV. "Sea otters have incredible dexterity, so it makes sense Eddie would have this hidden talent. They're famous for using rocks as tools to crack open clams."

Unfortunately, Eddie's dunking takes place behind the scenes at the zoo, so visitors can't see the Blake Griffin or Terrence Ross of the otter world. But perhaps the zoo will allow Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts a visit to see Eddie dunk; surely he'd be interested.