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New proactive, preventative measures to protect zoo birds from HPAI

 Posted by Woodland Park Zoo Communications Staff Humboldt penguins by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo New proactive, preventative measures to protect zoo birds from HPAI  As an increased measure to protect its birds from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Woodland Park Zoo will be proactively moving some species within the zoo. To safeguard the health of flamingos and some crane species, who live in open-top habitats, these birds will be moved into more protective housing temporarily to prevent contact with wild mallards and other waterfowl.   Penguins will remain outdoors for now, as their pool and food sources don’t draw mallards into their habitat.   We appreciate the patience of our community and guests, who may miss seeing these beautiful birds for a while but who understand the importance of keeping them safe. Chilean flamingos, Annie Kwan/Woodland Park Zoo Update on the goose flock  On Nov. 14, the zoo received confirmation that a red-breasted goose had died earl
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Heartbreaking news: pregnant orangutan Batu loses baby

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Our beautiful Batu. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is sad to share it learned today that its pregnant orangutan, Batu, has lost her baby after carrying the fetus nearly to term. An ultrasound performed this morning during an anesthetized exam unfortunately revealed the fetus was no longer viable. This was the first pregnancy for the 15-year-old orangutan and would have marked the first orangutan birth at the zoo in 35 years. Godek, also 15, was the father. “While we always prepare for worst-case scenarios, of course, this is not the outcome we expected. We had high hopes and were so excited to welcome a healthy baby to our zoo family and for Batu to enter a new chapter of motherhood. This is a monumental loss for our zoo family and our hearts are very heavy, especially for Batu and her dedicated caretakers,” said Roger Sweeney, Chief Zoological Officer at Woodland Park Zoo. “Up until recently we had been able to
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Woodland Park Zoo awarded grant to advance empathy for animals

Posted by Woodland Park Zoo Communications Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is pleased to announce a $7.15 million grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) to advance and expand the zoo’s Advancing Empathy Initiative that fosters empathy for animals in Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited organizations. This three-year grant continues the zoo’s long-term partnership with MACP and organizations across the country to build strong empathic connections between humans and animals through research-based effective empathy practices, while also amplifying the zoo’s mission to save wildlife and inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Emerging behavioral science is showing that there are social and emotional components to changing our behaviors. Feeling empathy is an often overlooked but necessary step between learning about the need for change and taking action on
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Confirmed avian flu case at Woodland Park Zoo means immediate safety precautions are in effect to protect our birds

Posted by Woodland Park Zoo Communications Staff Woodland Park Zoo is home to a flock of red-breasted geese as well as many other species of birds. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo A red-breasted goose at Woodland Park Zoo has died and is the first suspected case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) at the zoo. The goose passed away earlier this week and the zoo received preliminary positive HPAI test results today, Nov. 14. Health and safety precautions had already been enacted at the zoo in response to increased HPAI cases being reported across the state and region. For the wellbeing of our animals, staff and guests, additional and increased measures will be implemented immediately. Background HPAI, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, is a viral infection that is carried by wild birds, especially mallards and other waterfowl, and is spread primarily through respiratory secretions and bird-to-bird contact. In addition to posing a threat to birds, HPAI can also
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A loving farewell to Shila: Treasured gray wolf made history and stole hearts

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Gray wolf, Shila, was a treasure and we will deeply miss her. Woodland Park Zoo is deeply saddened by the loss of its sole gray wolf, Shila (SHY-lah), who has passed away. Animal keepers found the 14-year-old, female wolf deceased this morning in her habitat. In human care, the median life expectancy for gray wolves is 11 to 12 years old. At 14, Shila was a geriatric wolf. As a standard procedure, the zoo’s animal health team will perform a postmortem exam to further diagnose factors that may have contributed to Shila’s death. Shila was born in April 2010 at New York State Zoo at Thompson Park and moved to Woodland Park Zoo in the fall that year with her three sisters who have all since passed away. Woodland Park Zoo made groundbreaking medical headway for wolves when in June this year its veterinary team partnered with an external veterinary cardiologist to implant a pacemaker in Shila to treat a
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New Stripes in Town: Zoo Welcomes New Malayan Tiger

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is welcoming a new tiger to its naturalistic Banyan Wilds habitat. Male tiger Angin (ON-yin), 14, arrived from Ellen Trout Zoo in Texas and is now roaming the zoo’s Malayan tiger habitat. Angin, which means wind in Indonesian, is the brother of Woodland Park Zoo’s other male Malayan tiger, 14-year-old Bumi (Boo-mee), which means earth in Indonesian. Tigers are solitary animals, so guests won’t see the brothers or 8-year-old Azul, the zoo’s female Malayan tiger, roaming the habitat together. All three big cats will be on a rotational schedule in the habitat. Angin weighs about 260 pounds and has been spending the last couple of weeks getting to know his new home and animal keepers. While Angin’s animal keepers have only known him for a short time, he’s already made a big impression and has a similar personality to his brother Bumi and is more reserved; he also enjoys playing in t
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Goodbye beautiful Nayla: Zoo mourns the loss of its geriatric jaguar

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Woodland Park Zoo is mourning the loss of its only female jaguar, Nayla. The big cat was humanely euthanized due to age-related degenerative decline in mobility. Nayla in 2021. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Nayla, who celebrated her 19th birthday last week, was born at Akron Zoo in Ohio and lived at Woodland Park Zoo since 2006. The life expectancy of jaguars in zoos is 18 years. Nayla in 2019. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo As a geriatric big cat, Nayla’s welfare and chronic medical conditions, including degenerative joint disease, have been closely managed by her animal caregivers and veterinary staff. This summer Nayla had an episode of neurologic deficits that caused a severe head tilt and loss of balance. After diagnostics, including an MRI and treatment, Nayla recovered from this neurologic episode and returned to the habitat, Jaguar Cove. “Recently Nayla began to display increased weakness and incoordination of h
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