Oregon
Fewer Oregon ranchers are raising exotic animals
Data from the Census of Agriculture shows that in the past two decades, Ostrich numbers have dropped by 83%.
Courtesy of Craig J. Barber
Old McDonald had a farm, but he probably did not have any llamas or ostriches.
New data from the Census of Agriculture shows that in the last 20 years, Oregon has seen some increase in standard farm animals, such as milk cows and chickens, while the number of farms with unconventional livestock, such as llamas and ostriches, has plummeted.
Michael Lehman is the president of the American Ostrich Association and owns Central Oregon Ostrich with his wife. He says raising ostriches is a tale of a boom and bust that began in the late ‘90s.
“There was a huge, huge push to bring ostrich into the United States as the next big red meat, and unfortunately there was a lot of money behind it. It was a big speculation,” he said. “It failed rather dramatically.”
As reported by the Washington Post, the number of ostriches raised in the U.S. has dropped 83% in the last two decades.
Lehman says that one of the challenges is a lack of understanding for an animal that is not native to the U.S. He says that when farmers tried raising ostriches in ways they did other animals, the end result was a catastrophe.
“Everything blew out the window,” he said. “In order to farm them, you have to farm them as a wild species. You can’t just push them into Western farming practices.”
Beyond just their meat, ostriches were sought after for leather, feathers and even their bones, which can be used as dog treats.
The number of llamas raised in the U.S. has declined similarly — 79% since the early 2000s.
Ron Wilkinson, Central Oregon Llama Association president and owner of R&G Acres, says llamas were first available at game farms and zoos before they took off at the individual farm level. Unfortunately, like ostriches, llamas were a speculative venture at the time.
Ron Wilkinson is the owner of R&G Acres and raises Llamas. He first got interested in the animal after purchasing one to act as a guard animal.
Courtesy of Ron Wilkinson
“People were going to get rich quick with llamas, and over time that didn’t prove to be,” he said. “Some people did, but most did not.”
Unlike ostriches, llamas aren’t harvested as a food source in the U.S. but are mainly used for companionship. They are often used as packing animals for hiking since they are able to carry more than 70 pounds. Wilkinson says their fiber also has some value but faces steep competition with sheep wool.
Like Ostriches, Llamas were seen as a speculative venture when they first rose popularity. Within the past two decades, the number of Llamas across the U.S. had declined by 79%.
Courtesy of Ron Wilkinson
Wilkinson got interested in llamas when he purchased one to act as a guard animal for his sheep. He says they work great as guards because they’re naturally curious and big animals that intimidate dogs or coyotes.
While the numbers are declining, Wilkinson is hopeful that there is some potential for llamas in the future.
“I think llamas have always been a niche industry,” he said. “Until that fiber market is developed and widespread. I think when that happens, things could change a lot.”
Michael Lehman is co-owner of Central Oregon Ostriches and believes they can be the livestock of the future.
Courtesy of Craig J. Barber
For Lehman, much of his work now is figuring out the best ways to raise ostriches and their hatchlings. He believes that ostriches are the future of sustainable agriculture.
“Consumers are very much in tune with humanity, the humane treatment that is being applied to the animals,” said Lehman. “To be successful as an ostrich producer, you have to raise them that way.”
Michael Lehman and Ron Wilkinson both joined OPB’s Think Out Loud to discuss llama and ostrich farming. You can listen to the full conversation here:
CURRY COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) – A Texas man wanted for child sex crimes was arrested in Curry County on Tuesday afternoon.
The Curry County Sheriff’s Office says Kenneth Leatherwood of Bastrop, Texas, was arrested with the help of Oregon State Police and U.S. Marshals just after 12:30 p.m.
Leatherwood, who is accused of sex-related crimes involving a child in Texas, was reportedly found camping in a heavy wooded area near Lucas Lodge in Agness.
Investigators say Leatherwood has been on the run from Curry County law enforcement since June 16 after reports that he had been seen with a stolen car in the Agness area.
Leatherwood was also believed to have stolen weapons with him.
His dog was also found and returned to the suspect’s family in good shape, according to the sheriff’s office.
Copyright 2026 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Fireworks are on sale in Oregon until July 6, but state and local rules limit where they can be used and what types are allowed.
In Portland, fireworks use and sales are banned year-round.
Fireworks are also banned on beaches and in state and national parks.
Statewide, fireworks that fly into the air, explode, act unpredictably or move more than 12 feet horizontally are illegal. Banned fireworks include sky lanterns, missiles, rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, cherry bombs and M-80s.
Fountains, sparklers, ground spinners and smoke devices are among the fireworks allowed under state rules.
Officials said people should not call 911 to report illegal fireworks. They said reports should go to the non-emergency line for the area.
First responders said there were 263 fires across Portland during last year’s fireworks season, and 27 were caused by fireworks.
For more details about fireworks regulation in Oregon, click here.
In Washington, fireworks sales legally begin Sunday and run through July 4.
Copyright 2026 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
GEARHART, Ore. (KATU) — Another gray whale washed up on the Oregon coast last week, this time in Gearhart, according to Seaside Aquarium.
The 41-foot-long male had been dead for months before washing up on the beach, Seaside Aquarium general manager Keith Chandler said.
He noted that there have been 19 total whale strandings or carcasses washing up on beaches just this year on the Oregon coast region.
The Cascadia Research Collective is reporting at least 30 on Washington coastline alone. | TIMELINE
Of those deaths, more than half were at least partially attributed to malnutrition. That could have been the cause in more strandings, however, necropsies were not performed in roughly a dozen of the 30 strandings.
Chandler said strong wind from the west this year has been contributing to why coastal towns are seeing a lot of whales and other things washing up on shore. However he also noted that many of the Grey whales washed ashore were emaciated with necropsies showing signs of malnourishment.
“The food sources have been compromised. The warmer water means the nutrients that they’re getting aren’t as good, so the whole food chain is kind of not as healthy,” Chandler said.
He pointed to the warming waters with climate change as the main reason noting that warm water plankton–Grey Whale’s main food source–is thinner and has fewer nutrients than plankton in cooler waters.
Chandler says this whale will not have a necropsy done because of its level of decomposition.
“The fresher ones, the team from Portland State [University] will come down and they’ll go in and do measurements, take samples and stuff, measurements of the internal organs. But on one this decayed, you won’t gain anything from it scientifically. And it’s just kind of a mess to do when they’re this rotten,” he said.
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You can report a whale stranding to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline by calling 1-866-767-6114.
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