Ancient Pacific Lamprey Return To Zoo

The Oregon Zoo’s newest residents are also its oldest: 25 Pacific lamprey moved in this week, and the ancient fish are making themselves right at home. Predating dinosaurs and even trees, this 400-million-year-old native species is an important part of the history and culture of the Pacific Northwest.
Guests can visit the lamprey in the Cascade stream and pond section of the Great Northwest area, where they are often seen suctioned onto the glass of their habitat windows, showcasing sucker-like mouths and concentric rings of sharp yellow teeth.
The lamprey came to the zoo from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation as part of a tribal-led effort that collects lamprey returning to fresh water below the three lowest dams on the Columbia River and moves them above the dams to areas where they used to live, allowing the industrious fish to rebuild its own habitat. The lamprey stay at the zoo through the winter, and are transported to tributaries of the upper Columbia and Snake rivers once they’re ready to spawn.

[@davidbattOR]

Not exactly the most cuddly of creatures, but successful in the extreme... the Oregon Zoo is always a treat. Many thanks to the dedicated Staff! 👍👍

[@miroslavzima8856]

I would say, they are very cuddly and will literally cling to you x)

[@lavender_oni]

Happy for them but I'm good

[@coolnegative]

Ewwwww....giant vampire leeches! Ugh!

[@TheIntelligentElephant71133]

Real life aliens of the water

[@chehalem]

A very important species to native peoples up and down the Willamette and Columbia! While most people know how indigenous peoples caught and ate salmon, most don't know that lamprey were also an important food that could be caught, dried, and stored to get folks through the lean winter months. If you've ever had eel in a Japanese restaurant, it is very similar!

[@EscapeCondition]

Didn't know that history. I ate eel a lot until it got overfished. Great texture.

[@nonacrane491]

Oh, heck no!!!

[@ricardoxnet]

The Lamprey "the living vampires of the sea". Those teeth are very scary, I wouldn't like to swim next to this group ,,,_dº¿ºb_,,,

[@LoriCurl]

I had no idea they are the oldest, eat up , guys!!

[@jamesdriscoll_tmp1515]

Ancient, older than moving mouth parts. Older than the cascade mountains.
I imagine they were a big deal back in the day.
Great zoo specimen!
Needs a good story teller.

[@rhonda90402]

Wow, they are interesting creatures that I knew nothing about!

[@anga9495]

They have the coolest gill system! Crazy!

[@TitanKaiju75]

Truly fascinating creatures. If we ever do manage to find complex life on another hunk of space rock, I would not at all be surprised if the extraterrestrial critters in question look similar in nature to these guys.

[@davidnierzwick2775]

🤢

[@happyfunjenn]

Talk about Dine and Dashers! These guys are the rudest creatures of the sea.. 🤣

[@c.a.parker5036]

What a cool partnership! Thank you for sharing!

[@sciencenerd7639]

awesome!

[@jaex9617]

Not exactly charismatic.

[@jonasbrothersrockist]

Dang