Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Construction ramps up on new Forest Trailhead exhibit! Hello Forest Trailhead! It's build time. Woodland Park Zoo is home to many birds and cranes, but guests will now notice a very different type of crane at the zoo as construction on the new Forest Trailhead exhibit ramps up. Zoo guests can see a 125-foot-tall, blue crane rising above the treetops. The crane is a crucial part of the construction work on the zoo’s new immersive, best-in-class Forest Trailhead exhibit that will be home to Matschie’s tree kangaroos, red pandas, keas and forest reptiles. The crane weighs a whopping 350,000 pounds and can lift up to 44,000 pounds or about twice the weight of a school bus! The crane's arrival is a sign that construction on the new Forest Trailhead exhibit is ramping up and guests can expect to see it in action into late winter 2025 when it will be dismantled, pending any delays. The new exhi
New baby thriving under care of expert staff, while focus turns to finding the perfect surrogate gorilla mom
Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren Baby blep! This 2-week old boy is thriving under the care of our expert gorilla staff Woodland Park Zoo’s newest baby, a gorilla born on June 28, is healthy, growing and thriving thanks to round-the-clock care by his human caregivers. Gorilla Akenji, the newborn’s 22-year-old first-time mother, has not shown any signs of interest in the baby who remains under 24/7 hands-on care by our expert gorilla staff; the baby, a boy, has not yet been named. For months leading up to his birth, the gorilla staff provided maternal behavioral training to prepare Akenji for motherhood. However, within an hour after Akenji gave birth, the animal care team had to intervene for the baby’s safety and well-being. “Despite our attempts over the past couple weeks to unite Akenji and her baby and encourage bonding, she has repeatedly turned away from him. Because of the trust and bonding we have with each of the gorillas, we can read her c