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Partnership Puts Ancient Pacific Lamprey in a New Exhibit at Oregon Zoo

Photo: Adult Pacific lamprey make themselves at home at the Oregon Zoo’s new exhibit featuring the Cultural Connections of the ancient fish and humans throughout history. Credit: Oregon Zoo

If today you were to take a trip to the Oregon Zoo, you would be greeted by some new guests. Well, not exactly new, as the species is over 400 million years old, but thanks to a new, one-of-its-kind collaborative exhibit, five Pacific lamprey now call the zoo home. 

There, you can take in the Pacific lamprey and their unique appearance – a sucker mouth, rows of teeth, that baby blue “eye” – that is as fascinating as their historic and vital role in the Pacific Northwest’s rivers, streams, and tribal cultures. 

Photo: Lamprey are anything but ordinary. The new exhibit engages visitors on the various unique facets of this ancient fish. Credit: USFWS / Oregon Zoo

Thanks to collaboration among the The US Fish & Wildlife Service (The Service), the Oregon Zoo, The Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), and local tribes, Zoo visitors can now meet their ancient neighbor as they follow the lifecycle and history of a fish whose prehistoric past predates dinosaurs and trees and whose future depends on the help of humans.

On July 11, 2019,  a small group gathered to celebrate this new chapter in conservation for this iconic species and of the collaborative partnerships that made it possible. The exhibit interprets Pacific lamprey life history, evolutionary significance, range, conservation status, threats, and the collaborative conservation efforts of numerous partners.

Photo: The Service’s Roy Elicker expresses his gratitude to partners for coming together to share the story of our “ancient neighbor” through this exhibit at the Oregon Zoo. Credit: USFWS

“This exhibit represents one of the many fruits of a very successful partnership between the Oregon Zoo and the Fish and Wildlife Service. I am thrilled that we were able to help the Zoo engage many tribal partners that do important lamprey conservation work through the Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative” said Roy Elicker, Assistant Regional Director of the Service’s Pacific Region Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program.

Future generations of both lamprey and humans need each other. With this exhibit, visitors learn how a species that has survived mass extinctions is now facing modern challenges, and what they can do to help. In addition, the Cultural Connections portion of the exhibit, co-designed by eight tribes and the Zoo, is in the final design phase and will be completed for the grand opening event on World Rivers Day, September 29, 2019. 

Photo: Young visitors get up close and personal with a new friend, the Pacific lamprey, who happens to be the oldest critter at the Oregon Zoo, dating back before the dinosaurs. Credit: USFWS

“We all care deeply about this ancient species, our neighbor, and our elder. This exhibit will be integral in reaching many, many people to tell the lamprey’s amazing story and to build support for their conservation. It represents a huge step toward achieving our common goal of recovering Pacific lamprey for future generations,” Elicker added.

So, join us in welcoming the newest, and simultaneously oldest, guests at the zoo: the Pacific lamprey.

“Keeper Colleen found Samudra having his own personal pool party before the zoo opened!”