Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications In 1973, two very special creatures had just arrived at Woodland Park Zoo. The pair of dwarf crocodiles were just 5 years old when they settled into what would become their swampy Seattle home. The calm, cool and ever-chill crocodiles became iconic residents of the Day Exhibit, greeting visitors with their toothy grins for over 44 years. The unmistakably toothy grin of a dwarf croc. Photo by Kirsten Pisto, Woodland Park Zoo. If you were one of those visitors, you might recall them basking under the heat lamp in their grotto or catching a treat or two during Sunday feedings. But more than likely what you remember is a feeling of Zen. Simply being in their presence often inspired visitors to slow down and relax. Now, at 49 years old, the pair has embarked on a new adventure, retiring where many Americans choose to spend their golden years: sunny Florida. While we may have shed a few tears at the thought of them leaving (not c...

Posted by: Diane Yoshimi, Zookeeper, with Linda Uyeda, Zookeeper Recently born Chinese crocodile lizard. Photo by Ryan Hawk /Woodland Park Zoo. Woodland Park Zoo recently had two female Chinese crocodile lizards ( Shinisaurus crocodilurus ) give birth to two litters of 11 babies in total. The crocodile lizard is an unusual reptile that gives birth to young after 9 to12 months of gestation. The newborn babies, weighing approximately 4 to 6 grams, are independent at birth and litter size ranges from 1 to 9. Since WPZ acquired a pair in 1993, there have been 70 crocodile lizard offspring born at the zoo. In December 2010 there were 115 individuals living in 22 North American institutions held in a managed program, meaning a studbook keeper recommends which individuals should be bred in order to maintain genetic diversity in the captive population. Adult Chinese crocodile lizard (left) in a tank next to a baby Shinisaurus (right). Photo by Ryan Hawk /Woodland Park Zoo...