Posted by Farrah Paul, Communications Lily in 2015. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. We have some very sad and difficult news to share. We will soon say goodbye to our beloved hippopotamus Water Lily, who has experienced declining health and quality of life following a cancer diagnosis last month . Veterinarians and caretakers have made a difficult end-of-life decision for the 45-year-old hippo, affectionately known as Lily, who will be humanely euthanized early next week. She will be surrounded by her loving animal keepers and an empathetic, expert team of veterinary animal health professionals. The zoo recognizes that our staff, volunteers, members and community feel deeply connected to Lily and may wish to use the next few days to visit her or celebrate her life. Lily will continue to enjoy her pool and outdoor habitat over the coming days and should be visible to those who come to say farewell. Community members may continue to see Lily through Sunday, April 28, after which
Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Hello, Dawa! We’d like to introduce you to Dawa! She is a bouncing baby (calf) Grant’s gazelle—and we mean that quite literally! Pronking—sometimes called stotting—is a kind of four-legged bounce or jump. Gazelles are known for this special kind of gait and, as you can see in the video (watch ‘til the end so you don’t miss a moment!) little Dawa has been eager to show that she mastered her pronking technique even when she was only a couple weeks old! Watch video: https://youtu.be/jZzAiKQjFHI Dawa was born on March 5, to mom Blossom and dad Kamali—and is the first Grant’s gazelle born at Woodland Park Zoo since 2005. That morning, animal keeper Russ was busy with his regular routine of feeding, shifting, and cleaning parts of the barn where the gazelles rest and eat. As is often the case, there was music in the background since it provides wonderful enrichment for animals and people alike! Russ’