Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Chai and Bamboo continue to do well at San Diego Zoo, a temporary stop on their way to meet their new family at Oklahoma City Zoo . The girls are together in San Diego Zoo’s elephant quarantine area, which includes indoor rooms and an outdoor yard. Quarantine is standard for any animal newly arriving to an accredited zoo. Woodland Park Zoo keepers are with Chai and Bamboo providing them daily care. Video: Woodland Park Zoo elephants doing well at San Diego Zoo.   Produced by San Diego Zoo. In addition to the bulking quantities of hay, grain and produce the elephants consume each day, San Diego Zoo staff has been collecting browse plants for Chai and Bamboo, just as they were used to at Woodland Park Zoo. Yesterday’s flavor of the day—elm—was a big hit. Bamboo especially has been enjoying the hunt for hidden peanut butter balls, and the two have been chowing down on frozen nectar and fruit-sicles as well. Chai has discovered the water spr

Posted by: Stacey Hammond, Education This past winter, ZooCrew students learned about the conservation issues that face the Northwest and designed projects to address those issues. All of these projects highlighted how climate change is affecting animals. From bats to birds to wolverines and wolves, check out some of the projects from the Mercer, Denny, and Washington Middle School ZooCrew students below. Bat Houses Students from all three schools made bat houses, which will be hung up on zoo grounds. Bats are an important part of a healthy ecosystem. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, bat populations have decreased. By building bat houses, the students are helping create safe homes for bats. Denny Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Washington Middle School students. Backyard Bird Counts Another project highlighted bird conservation. Students observed birds in t

Posted by: Kerston Swartz, Public Affairs and Advocacy Manager Today Woodland Park Zoo and our campaign partners announced Initiative 1401 , a citizens’ initiative to strengthen laws banning sales of endangered species products in Washington state. In November, the people of Washington will be able to vote YES on I-1401 , and significantly decrease our state’s contribution to the current unprecedented rate of tiger, elephant, rhino and lion poaching. Pangolin: Boniface Osujaki/ Tarangire Elephant Project , a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife. African elephant: Peter Steward via Flickr. Malayan tiger: Razak Abu Bakar via Flickr. Rhino: Jim Frost via Flickr. These wild animals don’t roam our state, but parts of them certainly make their way into the U.S. and to our region. Washingtonians will not spot a lion stalking its prey on the San Juan Islands or see a rhino charging the wheat fields of the Palouse, but we might have the opportunity to buy an ivory trinket in Tac

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications Last week we shared a sneak peek of the new Malayan tiger and sloth bear exhibit Banyan Wilds (opening May 2). Now let’s take a closer look at the three tigers who have been keeping our horticulture crew busy (see evidence below) as they taste test out their new digs.  Our young tigers use all of their senses to get the dirt on their new space. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Liem, Eko and Olan arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in March and will make their debut when the new exhibit opens. The three brothers and their sister were born November 12, 2013 to Malayan tigers Liku and Suhana at Little Rock Zoo. Since their arrival the boys have been getting to know their keepers, exploring the new exhibit and testing out all of its features—especially the tiger stream. At one and a half years old, the young male tigers are curious, playful and especially interested in their keepers and still fascinated with each other. One by

VIDEO: Elephants Chai and Bamboo resting at San Diego Zoo. Footage courtesy of San Diego Zoo. Woodland Park Zoo’s female Asian elephants, Bamboo and Chai, spent the weekend at San Diego Zoo after their trip to Oklahoma City Zoo was rerouted due to a storm in Colorado and Wyoming that was expected to increase in severity. The pair continues to rest in comfort. According to Dr. Nancy Hawkes, Woodland Park Zoo’s general curator, Bamboo, 48, and Chai, 36, are eating, sleeping and interacting with their keepers, all positive signs they are doing well. “Blood draws and other tests show no evidence of medical concerns. Both elephants are hydrated and they are moving about normally,” said Hawkes. While at San Diego Zoo, the elephants are in an indoor facility in quarantine, which is standard procedure for any new animal at the zoo. The elephants have access to two large indoor rooms and an outdoor yard, all of which are off view to the public. Woodland Park Zoo’s keepers are provi

See Concerts. Save Animals. Tickets go on sale April 24 Blondie. Photo by Danielle St. Laurent. Another season of BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru summer concerts is heating up with this year’s blazing lineup: June 19 - The Doobie Brothers with special guest Pat Simmons Jr. June 28 - The B-52s July 12 - Indigo Girls July 21 - Melissa Etheridge & Blondie July 22 - Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers July 26 - “Sweet Harmony Soul” featuring Mavis Staples, Patty Griffin & Amy Helm July 29 - Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell August 9 - Ziggy Marley August 16 - Trampled By Turtles & The Devil Makes Three August 19 - Kenny Loggins The B-52s. Photo by Pieter M. van Hattem. New for 2015 Please add the appropriate amount of free child vouchers to your ticketing order (online or at gates) for each concert you will be attending. One child (12 and under) is free with each PAID general admission ticket. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Two days ago, Woodland Park Zoo’s female Asian elephants, Bamboo and Chai, departed on a custom-built elephant transport vehicle for their new home at Oklahoma City Zoo. The caravan had to change their route in Salt Lake City due to a storm in Colorado and Wyoming that was expected to increase in severity. Because the reroute would have extended the trip a day longer, a decision was made for veterinary precautions to go to San Diego Zoo and allow the elephants to rest. Bamboo and Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mandi Fillmore/Woodland Park Zoo A total of three elephant experts, two veterinarians and three staff with the transportation consultant are accompanying the truck transporting Bamboo and Chai. The team has been making stops every few hours for wellness checks on the elephants and to provide food and change water. According to Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo, an extra day on the road would have been challenging for Bamboo and Chai. “For their wel

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Conservation starts with conversation. To save tigers, we need to get people talking about tigers. Here at Woodland Park Zoo, we’re transforming the heart of the zoo into the new Banyan Wilds exhibit opening May 2. And now we’re bringing tiger conservation into the heart of the community too. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The Show Your Stripes Tour launched today at the base of the Space Needle with the unveiling of 10 tiger statues designed by local artists. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. With fewer than 3,200 tigers left in the wild, now is the time for action. The zoo challenged each artist to select a conservation issue these endangered big cats face and bring the story to life using any media or style. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The results will challenge you. Inspire you. And motivate you. Are you ready to show your stripes for tigers? Photo by John

Chai and Bamboo at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. A new chapter began for female Asian elephants Bamboo and Chai when they stepped into elephant-sized travel crates, were loaded on the flatbed truck, and left Woodland Park Zoo for their new home at Oklahoma City Zoo. The truck pulled out at 6:15 p.m. PST today, April 15. Bamboo and Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mandi Fillmore/Woodland Park Zoo. Bamboo, 48, and Chai, 36, were the last remaining elephants at Woodland Park Zoo. Their departure came after four months of planning to ensure they can join a family of Asian elephants and live in a socially enriching environment. The 2,000-mile journey to Oklahoma City will take approximately 35 to 40 hours. A total of three elephant experts, two veterinarians and three staff with the transport consultant are accompanying the truck. The trip will be straight through except to stop every few hours to check on the animals’ well-being and to provide fo

By Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by Kirsten Pisto, Woodland Park Zoo (unless noted) At the heart of the zoo, we’re putting the finishing touches on our most ambitious exhibit project in nearly two decades. Banyan Wilds is our new home for three Malayan tigers, three sloth bears, an entire family of frolicking Asian small-clawed otters and a colorful aviary. We are eager to open this immersive exhibit to the public on May 2. As we watch the final details come together, we can’t help but share with you a sneak peek at some of the elements you’ll find in the tigers' and sloth bears' new home and a look back on what it took to get here! As luscious bamboo starters are positioned to plant, here is one view into the new tiger yard. The blue tape on the windows reminds workers that glass is in place. This view of the tiger stream is for tiger eyes only, but visitors will be watching from another viewpoint as tigers splash and play in the cool water.