Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications That's a face we will never forget. Rest easy, Junior, thank you for letting us love you and inspiring millions to save jaguar habitat. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Jaguar Cove won't be the same without the presence of our favorite male jaguar, Junior. The geriatric cat had been off view, living behind the scenes where keepers could keep a close watch on him (spoil him) since late in 2017. Junior was humanely euthanized on May 31 due to a major decline in health and quality of life. Junior was 20 years old.  The life expectancy of jaguars in zoos is 18 years. The big cats live longer in zoos than in their natural range because of the evolving field of zoo medicine, including improved husbandry and management techniques, excellent animal care, better nutrition, increased medical knowledge, and diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.  Sweet cat naps on his favorite hot rock made Junior a happy boy. Photo by Ry

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by John Loughlin/ Woodland Park Zoo A lick of approval? Hasani here with just kinesiology tape on his rear feet. A couple of weeks ago, our baby giraffe, Hasani got a new pair of custom shoes to treat congenital rear leg abnormalities. Because of significant improvements, the giraffe is now shoe-free. Hasani blends in with mom Olivia and aunt Tufani. Hasani was born on May 2 to mom Olivia. Immediately after his birth, the zoo’s animal health team noticed each rear foot was not in normal alignment. The condition, known as hyperextended fetlocks, is well documented in horses and has been reported to occur in giraffes. One day after the giraffe was born, the zoo’s animal health team applied casts on both rear legs to help stabilize his limbs. The zoo’s veterinary team consulted with a Kentucky-based equine veterinarian who specializes in foot conditions. He visited the zoo to evaluate the calf, and crafted new custom sho

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications We have some very sad news to share. Our amazing South African lioness, Adia, passed away yesterday, May 21, at 9 years old from complications during surgery. The median life expectancy for lions in zoos is 16.9 years. Adia and her cubs in 2013.Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo Adia came to the zoo as a one-year-old in 2010 and became the foundation of our breeding program. Her first litter astounded us because as she not only gave birth to 4 cubs but also proved to be a fantastic first time mom. She went on to produce one other litter a few years later, this one with her current mate Xerxes. She will always be remembered as a diligent mother and the queen of her pride. Ask Xerxes, who would always follow her lead. Adia had been anesthetized for a recheck exam at the zoo’s veterinary hospital due to slow healing after recent abdominal surgery. “During yesterday’s procedure, we took radiographs of Adia and discovered complications

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo Our baby giraffe now has a name! The little giraffe will be called Hasani, which means handsome in Swahili and was also the name of the baby giraffe’s paternal grandfather. The name was chosen by zoo staff—a fitting name for our beautiful calf who has already stolen hearts across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Hello Hasani! The little calf stands tall next to mom, Olivia in the morning light of the giraffe barn. His custom-made shoes help support his legs and guide alignment. Hasani was born on May 2 to mom Olivia. Immediately after his birth, the zoo’s animal health team noticed each rear foot was not in normal alignment. The condition, known as hyperextended fetlocks, is well documented in horses and has been reported to occur in giraffes. One day after the giraffe was born, the zoo’s animal health team applied casts on both rear legs to help stabilize his limbs. A week a

Posted by Gigi Allianic, communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo A 9-day-old chick is placed into a cozy bowl (with a fleece towel) during a routine weigh-in and health check with animal keeper John. Breeding season for Woodland Park Zoo’s Humboldt penguins has officially come to a happy conclusion with the behind-the-scenes debut of two floofy new hatchlings. These newest chicks bring the total number of successful hatchings of the species at the zoo to 70 since the zoo’s first breeding season in 2010—one year after the penguin habitat opened. We won't know the sex of these chicks until DNA tests can be conducted. Two Humboldt penguin chicks have hatched this spring.  Penguin keeper John gets weights and measurements on the older and larger of the two chicks. This one is currently 5 weeks old! Incubation for penguins takes 40 to 42 days, with both parents sharing duties in the nest and day-to-day care for their chicks. The first chick h

Posted by Gigi Allianic, communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren Woodland Park Zoo’s baby male giraffe has been outfitted with custom-made therapeutic shoes in the next phase of treatment of his rear leg abnormalities. The baby stands next to mom, Olivia, in the giraffe barn after the team outfitted him with new therapeutic shoes and casts. The baby was born on May 2 to mom Olivia. Hours after his birth, the zoo’s animal health team radiographed his rear legs after noticing each rear foot was not in normal alignment. “The condition is known as hyperextended fetlocks. It is well documented in horses and has been reported to occur in giraffes,” says Dr. Tim Storms, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo. One day after the giraffe was born, the zoo’s animal health team applied casts on both rear legs to help stabilize his limbs.  After consultations of medical literature and colleagues at other zoos, the zoo’s exhibits team was called in to help. The talen

Posted by Gigi Allianic, communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo On May 2, Olivia, gave birth to a male giraffe. Less than 12 hours after his birth, the zoo’s animal health team intervened to radiograph and diagnose abnormalities found in his rear legs.  The little giraffe already has the entire zoo rallying for him. The baby giraffe was on his feet and walking within an hour after he was born. “However, we noticed right away that each rear foot was not in normal alignment, a condition known as hyperextended fetlocks,” says Dr. Darin Collins, director of animal health at Woodland Park Zoo. “We have applied casts on both rear legs to help heal the tendons, which is the current best practice in treating this condition in newborns. Treatment will most likely span over several months. The baby is in guarded condition and we will continue to monitor him closely.” This condition is found in horses and has been reported to occur in giraffes, explains Colli

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo has a new baby giraffe! Olivia, 12 years old, gave birth today on May 2 at 4:56 a.m. The baby giraffe is a boy! Olivia with her newborn at just a few hours old on May 2, 2019. Mom and calf are off view in the giraffe barn to allow a cozy, quiet environment for maternal bonding and nursing. “The baby was on his feet within an hour after he was born, which is what we want to see,” says Katie Ahl, a lead keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “The first 24 to 72 hours are critical for newborn giraffes. A healthy infant should begin nursing shortly after birth and be able to run around with its mom several hours later. Olivia is an experienced mother and she’s showing good maternal behavior for her second baby.” While the baby is standing and nursing, he’s not walking normally on his rear legs, notes Dr. Tim Storms, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo. “This condition c

 Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Hey soon-to-be-mama, Olivia! Photo by Jeremy Dywer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo. Our very pregnant giraffe, Olivia, has been put on 24-hour birth watch after showing signs late last week of approaching labor. The birth window began mid-March and extends until the end of April. “We’re definitely seeing signs of Olivia nearing labor—we think she’ll give birth any day now,” says Katie Ahl, a lead animal keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “She’s more restless, there are noticeable changes in her udder, and she’s extending her tail and spreading her rear legs frequently. In addition, she and Dave are showing more affectionate behavior toward one another, a telltale sign of hormonal changes occurring in the expectant mom.” A pregnant Oliva, right, next to sister Tufani, left. Photo by Jeremy Dywer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo. The zoo’s animal care staff are monitoring Olivia closely at the zoo and several times throughout the night via ba