Why Train Animals at the Oregon Zoo?

Whether it’s health care, habitat design, diet or enrichment, animal welfare guides every decision made at the Oregon Zoo. Barbara Heidenreich, a world-renowned animal-behavior specialist, recently sat down with the zoo to discuss the important role training plays in animal well-being. Heidenreich — who has trained thousands of animals, from rats to rhinos — works with animal-care professionals, pet owners and conservationists to help foster the human-animal bond. Recently, she and the zoo have collaborated to help rescued orangutans in Borneo return to the wild.