Note: Founded in 1888, the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River is located just minutes from downtown Portland and is home to 2,000 animals from more than 230 species – which means you can get up close to everything from an African pygmy hedgehog to a Visayan warty pig. But the star at this conservation zoo has to be its Elephant Lands habitat, home to a growing elephant family. The habitat includes diverse landscape areas and play structures, as well as opportunities for visitors to see these magnificent creatures up close.