Woodland Park Zoo Blog

As many of you know, we have spent the last three months carefully evaluating new homes for Asian elephants Chai and Bamboo in order to give them a chance to join a larger social herd and ensure their long-term health and well-being. Bamboo at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. We are happy to announce that we have selected Oklahoma City Zoo, which best meets our criteria based on recommendations from animal welfare experts: a social herd of Asian elephants into which Chai and Bamboo may successfully integrate, a state-of-the-art facility, a healthy environment free of active infectious disease, high caliber elephant keeper and veterinary staff, a restricted contact management system, and an established history of stable finances and leadership. In the wild elephants live in multi-generational herds, so we are delighted we can place them with a herd that includes younger elephants to ...

Posted by: Robert Long, Senior Conservation Fellow Washington’s North Cascades Ecosystem, an area of 9,800 square miles comprising large swaths of public land and wilderness, is one of only two regions in the contiguous United States—the other being the Northern Rockies—capable of supporting all of the larger carnivore species native to the United States. Most of these species, including black bears, cougars, and now gray wolves and wolverines, already occur in or are recolonizing their former habitats. Now, the American public will get the opportunity to support the recovery of grizzly bears—an iconic symbol of wildness—in the North Cascades. Photo courtesy of Western Wildlife Outreach. Grizzly bear populations once stretched from the tundra of northern Canada down through the Pacific Northwest and into California and even Mexico. Because of excessive hunting and trapping during the 1800s and early 1900s, however, grizzlies are now gone from the southern Pacific states, and ...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor It’s official: the lion cubs are now going out on a daily schedule, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., weather permitting. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. We want to see your photos! Please share your best cub pics with us on Facebook or tag @woodlandparkzoo on Twitter and Instagram .

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications If you missed the Great Ape Senior Celebration on Saturday (or just want to relive the jubilee) check out a few of our favorite photos from the birthday festivities honoring orangutans, Chinta and Towan as well as gorillas, Pete and Nina. Photo by Stan Milkowski/ Woodland Park Zoo Twin orangutans Chinta and Towan celebrated their 47th birthday with special treats, birthday decorations and a whole lot of party guests! Born in 1968, the twins were the first born in a zoo. Towan is now the oldest male orangutan in North America. Born at Woodland Park Zoo, the twin orangutans gained instant national celebrity status as the first-known twin orangutans born in a zoo. Photos of the pair in diapers appeared around the globe, including “Life” magazine. While other twins have since been born, twin orangutan births are still a rare occurrence. A handful of fruit and a fistful of presents...what could be better? Photo by Stan Milkowski/ Woo...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor We’re disappointed to share the news that legislation to #BanIvoryWA failed to pass in Olympia this year. Special interest groups opposing the bipartisan House and Senate bills fought hard to put the protection of ivory products above the protection of elephants. Which one will you fight to protect?  The African elephant will go extinct within 20 years if we don’t take unprecedented action to stop wildlife trafficking, which includes ending the legal loopholes that allow the ivory black market to continue right here in the United States. If you believe no one needs ivory more than elephants, then we need your help. Next year we’ll bring this legislation back to Olympia and we’ll need to be louder than before to contend with the opposition. We need voices all over the state—from Aberdeen to Zillah—to stand up for elephants. Talk to your friends, ask them to join the herd, and sign up for news at www.zoo.org/96elephants to be ...

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Today, February 19th, Chinese New Year will welcome the new zodiac sign. 2015 is the year of the sheep… goat! Sheep! GOAT! Depending on who you ask, some will say it is the year of the sheep and some will say it is the year of the goat, while others will say it’s a combination of both. According to some Chinese folklorists , the symbol is actually of a fictional ‘yang,’ which refers to any member of the caprinae family. Both goats and sheep appear in Chinese New Year paintings, paper-cuts and other festival decorations. But here is the real question: do you know the difference between a sheep and a goat? You might think it’s easy, but the two animals share many similarities. Here’s a fleecy checklist of the two animals compared side by side… q Tubby or thin Goats are usually more slender-looking, while sheep are generally rounder-looking. Domestic goat q Bearded or maned S...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Have you noticed the shaved patches of fur on the lion cubs? This cub has a distinct shaved patch on his hip. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. These patches help us tell the three brothers apart at a quick glance. And now that the brothers have names— thanks to your votes and an assist from dad Xerxes —we want to give you the inside scoop on which cub is which! You can see the right shoulder shaved mark on the cub on the far left, and the hip shaved mark on the cub on the far right. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. You voted for Tandie  (meaning “fire”) as your favorite name for the cubs, and keepers decided to give it to the cub whose right shoulder is shaved. This cub is the spitfire of the three, making him a perfect Tandie! The name Gandia (meaning “clever”) was given to the cub who has shown the most independence and curiosity. He is easy to spot by the shaved mark on his  hip . Finally, the biggest cub...

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications Watch out, Seattle: Cupid’s been hitting the mark on Phinney Ridge for over 100 years! This Valentine’s Day we've got the smitten kittens and the lovey dovies to inspire you... Affectional bonding between animals is also known as pair bonding. Sociobiology circles use this term to differentiate from “love,” a very human term. Pair bonding is a strong affinity between animals that are lifelong mates, temporary partners or can just refer to strong teamwork. Animals have their own unique ways to bond and show affection. Here is a look at some of the animal bonding pairs at the zoo and a thing or two you can learn from these animal sweethearts: African dwarf crocodiles: Keep smiling This toothy pair has been together since 1973! What’s the secret to their lasting relationship? Lots of crocodile smiles; sharing snacks (mice, rats, chicks and quail); and a love language all their own.  The male lets out a really low growl, typ...

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Dr. Robert Long sets up a non-invasive hair snare to snag wolverine hair that can be used for DNA analysis. Photo by Steven Gnam. Dr. Robert Long, Woodland Park Zoo’s first senior conservation fellow, has been recognized among the first group of 20 scientists awarded  the newly established Wilburforce Fellowship in Conservation Science, announced recently by the Wilburforce Foundation and COMPASS. The overarching goal of the Wilburforce Fellowship program is to build a community of conservation science leaders who excel in using science to help achieve durable conservation solutions in western North America. The Wilburforce Fellowship program provides skills development and sustained mentorship to help spark transformative, lasting change in how scientists approach their work. By bringing together scientists from across a broad spectrum of career stages, disciplines, geographies, and affiliations, the Wilburforce Fellowship will...

Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education Can you be a snake? 2014. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. You can feel it in the air—it’s that time of year again: the hustle, the bustle, the warm temperatures. Before you know it, the kiddos will be out of school and it will be summertime! Campers enjoy an up-close raptor program at the zoo. 2012. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Too soon, you might think? Not in my world; that’s why I have one of the best jobs at the zoo! I manage Woodland Park Zoo’s summer camp program . To campers, I’m known as the “Alpha Dog,” so for me summer is always near! Can you be the canopy of a rain forest? 2014.  Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Summer camp at the zoo is a wonderful blend of learning and fun as campers (ages 3-14) explore the zoo with their peers and teachers for a week at a time. Through imaginative play, games, activities and crafts our camp instructors weave together zoology content, wildlife conservation ...