Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher. Communications Editor’s Note: Big shout-outs of gratitude and appreciation to members of Woodland Park Zoo’s extraordinary, expert gorilla care team for answering all our questions, including Stephanie, Judy, Traci, Ashley and Tesh! Jamani and Olympia are both expecting babies in May! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo We recently shared with you that two of Woodland Park Zoo’s gorillas are pregnant and due to give birth five days apart this spring! The pregnant gorillas are Olympia, due May 19, and Jamani, due May 24. The father-to-be for both babies is Nadaya. The gestation period for gorillas is nearly nine months—only about two weeks shy of human gestation. This will be the second offspring for both pregnant gorillas. Before arriving at Woodland Park Zoo in 2022, Olympia, 29, and Jamani, 26, lived together at North Carolina Zoo. Each gave birth to a son just weeks apart in 2012 and successfully raised them together. Flashback: Jamani and Oly...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Beloved red panda, Carson, is exploring his new habitat! The treetops are alive! First, a tree kangaroo, and now a red panda is exploring the soon-to-open Forest Trailhead. The 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds are dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026. Zoo members will receive early access during member preview days April 28–30, 2026. Carson, an 11-year-old male red panda who boasts an impressive fan base of his own, is the latest mammal to be introduced to the new habitats in Forest Trailhead. In addition to a red panda, the all-new, interactive and multi-sensory exhibit will be home to tree kangaroos, kea—alpine parrots native to New Zealand—and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish species. According to Woodland Park Zoo animal keeper Megan Blandford, Carson is adjusting well in Forest Trailhead’s new Glen...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo UPDATE 3/26/26 at 4pm:  Thanks to our incredible Animal Health and Animal Care teams, Dave’s hoof procedure this morning went smoothly, and he was quickly back up on his feet. Dave received a silicone fill to address a hole in his right front hoof as well as a full giraffe pedicure from an expert farrier. Massive thanks to all the folks who helped plan and execute a smooth and successful procedure for the  tallest giraffe on African Savanna—and thanks to you all for sending Dave such warm wishes! Dave will be anesthetized as part of a procedure to look at his toe and hooves. Woodland Park Zoo’s animal care staff have a very tall order to carry out as they team up in the giraffe barn today to perform a procedure on the zoo’s 18-foot tall, male giraffe, Dave, who has a penetrating hole in the bottom of his right front toe that is affecting the bone of that digit. The giraffe’s overgrown feet ...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Hello, Rocket! Welcome to your new Forest Trailhead habitat! What, a kangaroo in the trees? That’s right, there are indeed kangaroos that live in trees, and Rocket, a male Matschie’s tree kangaroo at Woodland Park Zoo, is living up to his species’ moniker and testing the treetops in the soon-to-open Forest Trailhead. The 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds is dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026. Rocket wasted no time exploring his new Forest Trailhead habitat. Look at those claws —perfect "tools" for climbing! Rocket is the first mammal to be introduced to the new habitats in Forest Trailhead. The all-new, interactive and multi-sensory exhibit, which borders the zoo’s West Plaza entry, will be home to tree kangaroos, red pandas, kea—alpine parrots native to New Zealand—and a variety of reptiles, amphibian...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Jamani (left) and Olympia (right) are both expecting babies this May! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is proud to announce that two western lowland gorillas are expecting babies in May—and five days apart! The pregnant gorillas are Olympia, due May 19, and Jamani, due May 24. The father-to-be for both babies is Nadaya. The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months. This will be the second offspring for both pregnant gorillas. Before arriving at Woodland Park Zoo in 2022, Olympia, 29, and Jamani, 26, lived together at North Carolina Zoo. Each gave birth to a son just weeks apart in 2012 and successfully raised them together. Handsome silverback, Nadaya! These babies will mark his first foray into fatherhood —and we think he's going to be a great Dad! Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo For Nadaya, the silverback of the family group, the offspring will be his first. Adult male gorillas ar...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photo by Adam Hunter, LMN Architects Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | Woodland Park Zoo Through a treetop path, across a forest landscape, and inside an all-seasons pavilion, the all-new Forest Trailhead exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo will bring to life every animal’s and human being’s connection to forests. In honor of World Wildlife Day today, the zoo is proud to announce that the 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation will open on Friday, May 1, 2026.  Forests are home to the greatest diversity of wildlife on land, enriching the planet with species that Earth can’t afford to lose. The interactive, multi-sensory exhibit will be home to tree kangaroos, red panda, kea parrots, and a variety of reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. LMN Architects and Sellen Construction were the design team and general contractor, respectively. Bordering the zoo’s West Plaza entry, Forest Trailhead...