Autumn Bounty

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications

We are officially knee deep in autumn with wind storms and red cups gone wild, darker evenings and Seattleites covered in fleece head to toe. But, not all is dark and dreary!  Woodland Park Zoo’s lush canopy, made up of more than 1,000 different species of plants, is ablaze with autumn’s finest colors.

Autumn is the perfect time to stroll the zoo and appreciate an essential part of Seattle’s urban forest. Come explore the fall foliage and get to know a few trees along the way. Start by downloading our mobile app and use the Tree Tour to explore some of the signature trees around the zoo. Watch them transform the exhibits, as well as our own environment, into a golden autumn dreamscape.

Not only do our zoo animals use the trees for shade, climbing and sometimes food, dozens of native and migratory animal species also come through the zoo to find shelter and feed from our canopy.

Here are a few of our favorite fall finds:

 

This is Arbutus unido, which is native to the Mediterranean and has a beautiful fall berry. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.



Witch Hazel, sometimes called winterbloom, lights up the trail near sloth bears. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

 

Stranvaesia shows off brilliant red foliage and festive berries. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

Chokecherry, Persian ironwood and sweet gum tree flank the trail near the carousel, offering a bounty of autumn color. Photo by Ryan Hawk/ Woodland Park Zoo.

Red flowering quince, Chaenomeles speciosa, drape across the hippo pool. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

Spirea offer cascading branches of gold and pink foliage.

Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

Even tough little lion cub paws need some soft leaf stomping once in a while. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

An early November sunrise at the zoo.  Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

Come enjoy the leaves with us! Photo by Ryan Hawk/ Woodland Park Zoo.



Enkianthus, soaking up all the colors of fall, is native to Asia, ranging from the Himalayas to China and Japan. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

 

Magnolia leaves drape the ground in thick layers near the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit. Some of the leaves are enormous! Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.

 

 

It doesn’t get better than a giant pile of oak leaves! Photo by Kirsten Pisto/ Woodland Park Zoo.