Woodland Park Zoo Blog

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Poison dart frogs are cool, colorful and have a warning for potential predators: stay away!

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications If you’ve been inside the Tropical Rain Forest building, you may have seen the colorful poison dart frogs there. If you haven’t visited in a while, now may be the perfect time for a reintroduction to these incredible amphibians. Yellow-banded poison dart frog. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo The poison dart frog is the common name for dozens of frog species which are native to the warm and wet environments of Central and South America’s tropical rain forests. They are so named because some Indigenous Amazon peoples historically used the toxic skin secretions from a few select species to poison the tips of their blow darts and arrows for hunting. Green and black poison dart frog. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Like most amphibians, these frogs begin life as tiny, aquatic, gill-breathing tadpoles. They go through a metamorphosis as they grow, becoming terrestrial, lung-breathing adults that live amongst the trees,

Rhinos Taj and Glenn get fancy in the flooring department!

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications, with contributions from Al Kennedy and Chad Harmon, Rhino Keepers Our greater one-horned rhinos—Taj and Glenn. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo If you’ve visited our Assam Rhino Reserve recently, you might have noticed something new about Taj and Glenn’s habitat. The ground these 2-ton greater one-horned rhinos walk (and run, and play) on looks a little different than before. But the biggest change is actually beneath the surface. It took more than a year to complete and it has totally transformed the way we care for these amazing animals! The word “substrate” refers to the kind of substance that covers the ground or surface where an animal lives—sort of like flooring. In short, Taj and Glenn have a new “floor” in their habitat. The process to plan and install it was a huge undertaking and the benefits it offers for our rhinos and for their well-being are equally huge. A greater one-horned rhino in Manas National Park, India, wh

A catch-up with the three (Visayan) pigs

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Visayan warty pigs are a critically endangered species native to several islands in the Philippines. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren Let’s check in with some of our favorites in the Trail of Vines—the Visayan warty pigs. There have been some changes afoot for our resident rooters as well as for their species in the wild. You may remember we spotlighted our three pigs back in 2019 . They are Guapa (AKA Kulay) who will be 20 years old in April and her two daughters Bulak (AKA Scallops) and Magdula (AKA French Fry) who are both 13. Why do these pigs have nicknames? Well—pigs as special as these three have both formal as well as affectionate nicknames from their adoring animal keepers! All three of them came to Woodland Park Zoo together from Los Angeles Zoo in 2012 and each of their formal names reflects the Philippines origin of their species. Who doesn't love a good snack! Nom nom! Photo: Lindsay Wesselmann/Woodland Park Zoo In the wild, Visa

Happiest Birthday Juniper and Fern!

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos and video by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Happy fabulous 1st birthday, Fern and Juniper! Juniper and Fern (Ferniper) discover their cakes together! Woodland Park Zoo’s rambunctious, charismatic brown bear cubs , known fondly as Ferniper, turn 1 year old January 31! The zoo celebrated their milestone birthday by treating the cubs to ice cakes concocted with fruit and veggie juice made with the cubs’ faves: apple, cantaloupe, carrot, honeydew, pear, oranges, romaine, watermelon, yam, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, corn, and even a couple of tropicals—papaya and mango—nom nom! Watch: https://youtu.be/6-CnDaBgTB0 It is estimated the cubs were born in January 2022. Both cubs were rescued from their native habitats. Juniper is a coastal brown bear from Anchorage, Alaska; Fern is a grizzly bear from Montana. They were too young to survive on their own. Bear cubs learn everything about being a bear directly from their mo

Hello Yukon, Marty and Monty! Meet the three Canada lynx of our Living Northwest Trail!

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Hello, Monty! All our new Canada lynx, who arrived in Seattle last year, are now ready to meet you in Woodland Park Zoo’s Living Northwest Trail. All three live in the brand-new lynx facility and came to Seattle from zoos around the United States. Yukon, 3, came from Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo, Monty, 3, arrived from Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and Marty, 3, came from Minnesota Zoo. Yukon explores his habitat in the Living Northwest Trail. Two of the young male lynx were recently renamed, so that both the animals and their names can be ambassadors for the Pacific Northwest. The lynx were named Monty and Yukon by good friends of the zoo, who have been generous supporters of the zoo and its wildlife conservation efforts. The names were inspired by the mighty Yukon River in Canada and Montreal, one of the country’s largest cities in Quebec. The third lynx, Marty, has been enjoying the habitat since it

Celebrate Year of the Rabbit!

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications This weekend, people around the world will usher in the 2023 Lunar New Year on January 22, and this year it’s the Year of the Rabbit! Lunar New Year is celebrated across the globe, but especially in East Asia, where traditions and interpretations are as unique as the many cultures that mark this special date. Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash Rabbits have long symbolized good luck; therefore, the rabbit is considered the luckiest of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Rabbits can also symbolize prosperity, cleverness and fertility. The Chinese zodiac suggests that those born during the Year of the Rabbit will be gentle, elegant and creative. At Woodland Park Zoo, two rabbits live at the Family Farm. Ten-year-old Winston the rabbit has tortoise-shell fur with lovely dapples of orangey-brown and black. Keaton, 6, is the zoo’s gray-furred Flemish giant rabbit. His breed is one of the largest in the world—males can weigh 15 to 20 pounds! Leah M