Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Hattie Potter, Development Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo As stars of the zoo's educational programs, ambassador animals help build guests' empathy for animals and inspire them to take action for wildlife. Pot-bellied pigs, Annabelle and Bailey, are two members of the zoo's ambassador animals team. Animal keeper, Bree, answers our questions about these sisters and helps us get to know these playful pigs. What are the names and ages of our pot-bellied pigs? Annabelle and Bailey are sisters who were born on July 19, 2016, making them 7 years old. Where were they born? Bailey and Annabelle were born at a local farm. They joined the zoo's Ambassador Animals team at only 5 months old! When they were weeeeee little pigs! And then a lot bigger! How do you tell them apart? Both pigs have distinct patterns of pink and gray colorations on their skin. Bailey has a lot more pink on her shoulders and head and that's how she's often distinguishe...

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Roses are red, violets are blue, come spend Valentine’s Day at the zoo! Many of the animals at Woodland Park Zoo are ready for a day filled with love and they’re sporting some red, white and pink gear. Chilean flamingos are pretty in pink! Chilean flamingos have an extensive range throughout much of southern South America including Chile and Peru. Their pink color comes from the pigments in the tiny floating plants and animals they eat! Find Chilean flamingos in the zoo’s Temperate Forest. What could be better than red panda? Well, a red panda WITH flowers, of course! Red pandas have fiery red coats and thick, bushy tails. Woodland Park Zoo supports the Red Panda Network who is working to conserve this flagship species in Nepal. Find red panda, Carson, in the zoo’s Wildlife Survival Zone. The fluffy white snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the largest in overall size. Males a...

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo A celebration for Urso! This boy is now 2 years old! Woodland Park Zoo is celebrating the birthday of one of its newest residents—Urso the maned wolf! Urso turned 2 just a few short months after arriving at the zoo along with 7-year-old female, Rosario . Happy birthday, Urso! Urso is very easy to spot since he lost his tail as a very young pup due to an injury. He is a very handsome maned wolf with striking red hair and bright eyes. Maned wolves often use their tails to communicate, but since Urso doesn’t have a tail, he uses other forms of communication when interacting with Rosario and animal keepers. Urso mainly communicates through facial expressions, ear placement and body posture. Both wolves had to adjust to communicating with each other, but they’re now great companions and have figured out how to let each other know when they want to play, rest or be left alone. Maned wolves are omnivores,...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Last week, we shared the poll results from a public naming of a Chilean flamingo chick at Woodland Park Zoo — Magdalena was the winner !  Read on for the rest of this "awww" inspiring story involving a resourceful Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant and a flamingo chick now called Sunny! The winning name, Magdalena, was chosen through an online poll of names representing national parks in Patagonia, a main region where Chilean flamingos live. The other choices in the naming poll were Torres, Lauca and Patagonia.  Magdalena was among six flamingo eggs from Zoo Atlanta that a Woodland Park Zoo animal keeper transported from Atlanta to Seattle via Alaska Airlines; however, the portable incubator protecting the eggs had stopped functioning. The eggs would have perished during the five-hour flight if not for the quick thinking by a flight attendant named Amber May.  Amber May meets the ...