Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Farrah Paul, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo has welcomed a trio of llamas and six African crested porcupines. The animals were seized as part of a suspected neglect case in Oregon and are receiving housing and care at Woodland Park Zoo while that case is ongoing. As is standard with any new animals arriving at the zoo, the llamas and porcupines are under veterinary observation and quarantine. The three llamas are spending time quarantining together in a grassy yard near the Wildlife Theater. Guests may catch a glimpse from the Main Loop Path! The six African crested porcupines are quarantining together in an off-view area. It has yet to be determined if or when they will be moved into a publicly-visible habitat. Two Woodland Park Zoo Animal Care team staff made two trips to Oregon to pick up the llamas and porcupines. They also assisted Oregon officials in safely catching and loading additional animals destined for other ca...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Beautiful Helen — mother, grandmother and matriarch of Woodland Park Zoo's snow leopards. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is mourning the passing of snow leopard Helen, its 20-year-old matriarch and grandmother to three cubs born exactly one year ago and currently living at the zoo. Helen was humanely euthanized today due to declining health at her advanced age. She was diagnosed two years ago with kidney disease, which is not uncommon in geriatric animals, especially felines. “For the past couple of years, we have been treating Helen for kidney disease, which we were able to diagnose because her caretakers successfully trained her to allow veterinary technicians to collect blood samples from her tail while receiving treats. After we determined that her kidneys were failing, we were able to follow the progression of her blood values and treat her with intermittent fluid supplementation for a long period of tim...

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications Bumi, a Malayan tiger at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo is pleased to announce it will distribute $3.3 million in new empathy for wildlife project grants to build capacity at 14 zoos and aquariums across the western U.S.  In partnership with Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Woodland Park Zoo developed the capacity to become a grantmaking intermediary in 2020; the grants are distributed through the zoo’s Advancing Empathy Grant Program. This fifth round of grantmaking builds on the long-term commitment (AZA) accredited grantees to drive positive social change by taking on ambitious, multi-year projects to foster empathy and build zoo and aquarium guest connections with wildlife. “Our grantees are helping transform zoos and aquariums into places where research-based empathy practices shape how people connect with animals and with their communities,” said Dr. Marta Burnet, Director of Advancin...

Posted by Joanna Klass, Woodland Park Zoo Animal Care Manager Editor's Note: In addition to being an Animal Care Manager at Woodland Park Zoo, Joanna serves as Vice Chair for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Anseriformes Taxon Advisory Group. She also volunteers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which heads up the research project she writes about here. Emperor geese at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo If anyone saw me walking through the airport last June, they would’ve thought ‘TSA is going to love her!’. The item in question was a portable incubator, which on the outside looks like a hard, black briefcase with wires and a temperature readout on the front. In other words, not your typical roller-bag luggage. So, why was I taking this unusual item through the TSA gauntlet? It had a very important place to be—the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in southwestern Alaska. I was invited by Tasha DiMarzio, a waterfowl biologist for the Alaska D...

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 ...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren Ulan, with her calf Sempurna, in 2020. At the end of the month, Woodland Park Zoo will say goodbye to its last remaining Malayan tapir, Ulan. The 12-year-old female will head to Fresno Chaffee Zoo, an AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited zoo in Fresno, California. The last day to show Ulan some love will be August 27 in the Trail of Vines habitat. Tapirs are among the most primitive large mammals in the world, changing little in appearance for millions of years. These prehistoric-looking animals are long and similar to the weight of a light horse. They have a short, prehensile nose which they use to pluck leaves and fruit. Tapirs are excellent swimmers and use their snouts as snorkels! Because they have an odd number of toes (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot), their closest relatives are horses and rhinos. Ulan and her daughter, Sempurna, sit side by side in 2020. Ulan arrived at Wo...

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 Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Maned wolf Rosario We are thrilled to welcome two long-legged and adorable new residents of the Wildlife Survival Zone... maned wolves Urso and Rosario! Urso, a young male, was born on January 31, 2022 to parents Brisa and Sheldon along with his three siblings Jaci, Caipora and Cinza at Audubon Zoo. Urso means bear in Portuguese. 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 fur and bright eyes. Urso is a bit shy and is adjusting to his new environment, but animal keepers say they expect him to blossom once he gets settled into his new digs with Rosario.  Maned wolf Urso Rosario, a 7-year-old female, is relaxed and comfortable in her new home. Rosario has settled right into her habitat and seems very chill. Rosario and her brother Rio were born to parents Anaheim and Nazca on March 7, 2016 at Greensboro...

Posted by Kayla Hanada, Animal Keeper with Elizabeth Bacher, Communications The Socorro dove is extinct in the wild. Photo: Annie Kwan/Woodland Park Zoo Hello! My name is Kayla and I am an animal keeper at Woodland Park Zoo working primarily in our bird areas. If you’ve visited recently and walked through the dome in the Tropical Rainforest building, you’ve likely seen (or heard) two of our newest residents—Socorro doves! These special birds—named Bill and Ted—came to us from the San Diego Zoo a few months ago and they have quite the personalities. They’ve warmed up to their new home fairly quickly and I often hear them cooing in the trees. I’ve even seen them landing on the railings of the dome’s elevated walkway, not too far away from guests. These are both behaviors that show us they’re feeling comfortable here. The best time for you to spot them might be when we change their food bowls out, which is first thing in the morning right around the time we open at 9:30 and again later in...