Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon Explorer website, publicly launched to wide acclaim last year by Oregon State University, has an expansive new wildlife portal that allows users to find out about the Oregon Conservation Strategy and access a broad range of wildlife information for areas around the state.

The new “Oregon Wildlife Explorer” portal, http://www.oregonexplorer.info/wildlife, provides a single point of access for current and historic wildlife distribution maps, wildlife photos, local wildlife plans and other information. And like the rest of Oregon Explorer, it does so in an interactive and visual way that brings those elements to life.

“The Wildlife Explorer is a great resource for all Oregonians to reference, and will be particularly valuable for students and educators,” said Peg Boulay, coordinator of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy and the state wildlife grants coordinator.

“To successfully realize the benefits of the Conservation Strategy people need access to information on the species and habitats that are in need of conservation,” Boulay added.

Of immediate interest to Oregonians is a “Wildlife Viewer” that allows users to both create species lists for different places in Oregon and learn about individual species. “With the Wildlife Viewer, people can learn about the wildlife in their backyards or anywhere in the state,” said Jimmy Kagan, information program manager for the Oregon University System’s Institute for Natural Resources, which is based at OSU.

The wildlife data was developed by Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center at the INR and thus far includes information for more than 400 birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians in Oregon.

OSU Libraries and the INR worked in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to create the new portal. The ODFW’s State Wildlife Grants program funded the project. The grant funds are provided to states by Congress through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Oregon Explorer is a natural resources digital library that enables users to quickly find, retrieve, integrate and synthesize geo-referenced information through a series of geographic and topic-based web portals. It has earned praise for the breadth and depth of information it makes available in ways that engage users ranging from school children to government and private industry professionals.

The Oregon Explorer website can be accessed at www.oregonexplorer.info

About the Oregon Conservation Strategy: The Oregon Conservation Strategy offers a proactive blueprint for the long-term conservation of Oregon’s native fish and wildlife and their habitats through a non-regulatory, statewide approach to conservation. It was developed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and a diverse coalition of Oregonians including scientists, landowners, extension services, anglers, hunters, conservation groups, and representatives from forestry, agriculture, and rangelands. To learn more about the Oregon Conservation Strategy, please contact Meg Kenagy, ODFW, Conservation Strategy Communications Coordinator, (503) 947-6021.