Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Like her elusive wild relatives, Helen—Woodland Park Zoo’s newest snow leopard—made herself hard to spot during her official debut this morning at the snow leopard exhibit. TV and newspaper cameras scrambled to catch a glimpse of the beautiful feline as she crept around trees and hid behind rocks, shyly exploring her new home and the different scents her keepers scattered around the space. Helen, a 3-year-old snow leopard, joins us from Tautphaus Park Zoo in Idaho . Here at WPZ, she’ll make her home with two other snow leopards, 14-year-old Nadia, and 2-year-old Tom. The cat’s name carries on the legacy of devoted snow leopard conservationist Helen Freeman (1932-2007), founder of the Snow Leopard Trust , a WPZ partner for conservation. Together with the Snow Leopard Trust, we’ll be hosting the second annual International Snow Leopard Day event at the zoo this Saturday, August 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the event, learn all about snow leopard research and conservatio

Congratulations Lindsay H. and Megan A., our two ZooTunes VIP Ticket Giveaway trivia contest winners! Look for emails from Woodland Park Zoo to find out how to claim your prize. Thanks to all who took a stab at these tricky zoo trivia questions for a chance to win two VIP tickets to The Avett Brothers with Shawn Mullins ZooTunes concert. Curious about the answers? Here they are! 1. What carnivore is found farther north than any other non-human land mammal? Arctic fox 2. What animal uses regurgitation as a defense mechanism to startle the predator and lighten the load for escape? Turkey vulture 3. Zoos have been successfully repopulating what animal into biological reserves in Brazil for over 20 years? Golden lion tamarin 4. Indonesians call what animal “ora”? Komodo dragon 5. The record holder for what animal has over 375 pairs of legs? Millipede 6. What tropical rain forest feature was considered by the Maya to be a holy connection between the land and the heavens a

It’s time for a giveaway! And this one is sweet. You can win… Two (2) adult day passes to Woodland Park Zoo Two (2) WaMu ZooTunes tickets for The Avett Brothers with Shawn Mullins (8/27/08) VIP seating for the concert! To enter, just correctly answer the zoo trivia questions below. Two winners will be drawn at random from all eligible respondents with the correct answers. Not sure of the answers? Browse our website or visit the zoo to look for hints. (Click on the questions to view larger--may open new window.) Think you know the answers? Email webkeeper@zoo.org with your guesses through Sunday, 8/17, 10 p.m. PST. Only one entry per individual, so encourage your friends to enter as well! Two winners will be selected at random on Mon., 8/18. Good luck!

We were greeted with sunny skies yesterday morning for this summer's western pond turtle release. Twelve endangered turtles, headstarted for a year at the zoo, were taken to a protected pond site in the Lakewood area for the next step in their life cycle : life in the wild. A full contingent of helpers, including zoo staff and volunteers, 7-year-old Aimee Kessler and project donor Maryanne Tagney Jones, received the honor of gently putting the little turtles, weighing around 2 ounces each, into the waters of their new home. State biologists Michelle Tirhi and Tammy Schmidt checked over the turtles, ensuring that they were correctly marked (small notches are made in their shells for future identification, as well as tiny numbered tags). Michelle notes that the project has had a 95% rate of success in raising turtles since 1996. But we'll let the photos speak for the day. The zoo has proudly worked on this project for nearly two decades, increasing the wild population of these

Today's the day for about 50 western pond turtles to returned to the wild. For more than a decade, the zoo has raised state endangered western pond turtles and then released them into protected pond sites in southwestern Washington state. At that time, only about 100-150 of the turtles, which measure about 8-inches long as adults and can live nearly four decades or so, were left in just a few spots in Washington (other subspecies live in Oregon and California, but are having similar problems). Why endangered? Introduced critters such as bullfrogs would gulp up the tiny hatchlings, about the size of a 50 cent piece. Also the drastic decline in wetlands and ponds to residential and agricultural development put a serious crimp in living places. Thanks to the efforts of the zoo, Frank Slavens, former reptile curator here and his wife Kate, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Zoo and many others individuals, there are now an estimated 1,400 turtles living in sites in

Last night's concert was great! Both opening act Josh Ritter and featured performer Andrew Bird were at the top of their game and the weather, despite the rather foreboding clouds that had been around all day, actually warmed up a bit. The sold out crowd seemed to appreciate their talents as well. I was working the zoo's Conservation booth, talking with people about the more than three dozen field projects the zoo supports. It was remarkable how many people already knew a lot about several of the projects, including our work with the Snow Leopard Trust and the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project , but we were able to provide some details about other projects, too, including the Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project and the Oregon Silverspot Butterfly Project . The next three concerts are sold out, but The Avett Brothers on August 27 still has tickets available at our sponsor, Metropolitan Markets . (Photo of Josh Ritter and Andrew Bird by Ryan Hawk)

It’s National Zoo Keeper Week—the perfect time to recognize the incredible work that our dedicated animal management staff does to not only keep the zoo’s animals healthy and happy, but to also teach our visitors about conservation and zoology. The job of the zookeeper is much more than feeding and cleaning up after animals. Today’s keepers engage the animals in their own care, using training and enrichment to give animals the opportunity to act like their wild selves. Keepers must keep close watch over the animals in their care in order to detect any signs of illness, which animals instinctually hide to avoid predation. Keepers also contribute to the overall body of knowledge about animals by participating in behavioral research, and many are active in international conservation efforts. If you think a career as a zookeeper may be right for you, take a look at our zoo careers webpage and our keeper FAQ to learn more about the day-to-day realities of the job and what it takes

When an elderly patas monkey was diagnosed with painful kidney stones, our zoo vets went to work to relieve her discomfort in the least invasive way possible. After consulting with urologist Dr. Joseph Marquez from Seattle's The Polyclinic, the zoo's animal health experts decided to use a procedure that, though used often on humans, is uncommon on zoo animals. The 15-year-old monkey, named Fiona, was treated with a high-tech procedure that blasts kidney stones to passable pieces by repeated exposure to sound waves. Using a lithotripsy machine, generously supplied by NextMed, to send the sound waves, the team was able to break down Fiona's kidney stones into hundreds of small pieces that could then pass through her urinary tract. Fiona is recovering well now at the zoo's award-winning African Savanna exhibit. After just one day, she was feeling much better than she had in the weeks leading up to the procedure, according to her vets. Photo of procedure by Ric Brewer.

We've officially broken ground for our new penguin exhibit! Children from around the city sporting penguin hats and bearing plastic shovels joined Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, King County Executive Ron Sims, and other elected officials today in scooping the first piles of dirt for a new home for penguins. A new colony of Humboldt penguins will return to the zoo when the state-of-the-art exhibit opens in summer 2009. The new exhibit will tell a powerful story about conservation globally while making an impact on resource conservation locally. We'll save 3 million gallons of water a year and with a new filtration system and permeable concrete, there will be no polluted pool water or storm water run-off rushing down to Puget Sound to make a mess of things. That's good for the water and good for the fish! Take a peek at the construction site next time you are at the zoo to see how things are coming along. And if you want to be a part of the penguins' new home, go to www.zoo.

It was “For the Birds” at this year’s annual fundraiser, the always fun outdoor extravaganza known as Jungle Party , held last Friday. Many playful guests got into the spirit by donning feathers, while a flamingo-styled stilt walker danced through the crowds and a steel drum band called The Toucans set the mood. Fabulous weather, delicious food, and up close encounters with the zoo’s raptors made the night memorable. But it’s the tremendous success of the evening’s auctions that made the night important—important to the animals at Woodland Park Zoo and to the wildlife of the world that will be helped by the conservation projects funded through this event. This yea r, we raised $1.75 million! Of th ose con tributions raised, $ 662,000 is specifically earmarked toward this year’s Fund-Our-Future: “Projec t Aves.” The project will bring additional birds to the zoo such as Chilean flamingos and Humboldt penguins, support the suc cessful recovery of threatened bird species in the

Many people don't realize that everyday at the zoo we have many talks by zookeepers, detailing the natural histories and conservation status of the different animal species at the zoo. On any given day you might be treated to everything from learning about Malayan tapirs to seeing a flight demonstration by the zoo's raptors. The keepers detail a wide array of info during their presentations, from the diets of the animals in their care to what their populations are in the wild. Make sure to check out the schedule of daily activities online, or check the information kiosk at each zoo entrance on your next visit. (Photo by Ryan Hawk)

Did you hear? We're the 2008 NWSource.com People's Picks winner for Best Family-Fun Spot . Woo hoo! (We're also a finalist for best museum/attraction .) Thanks to all those fans out there who voted for us!

Animal Planet has teamed with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the accrediting organization for more than 200 zoos and aquariums throughout the U.S., including Woodland Park Zoo, to create a public service announcement. The announcement is currently running on Animal Planet and promotes personal action on the part of its viewers. One of those actions is visiting AZA-accredited zoos, learning about their conservation efforts, and becoming an active participant in conservation through every day actions, from recycling to saving water. Even though it may seem like taking a shorter shower, composting or reusing items instead of buying new may be a long stretch from helping save a tiger or preserving a panda, reducing our consumption does have positive ripples throughout the world. Do your part. We can't protect the wonders of nature without your help!

Wild bald eagles have been nesting on grounds for several years and this year has been no exception. In 1999, a pair nested in a large Douglas fir in our elk yard and fledged one youngster. In 2001, they again nested, this time fledging two young. In 2002 and 2003, the eagles nested again, successfully raising two young each year. Although they nested again in 2004, but the nest failed. It's not known why the egg failed to hatch. Up to seven eagles were seen flying around the area and this activity may have caused the pair to abandon the nest, however no one can know for sure (except the eagles!). This year, a pair again nested and laid eggs around March 27 and the eggs hatched around May 1. The two eaglets have grown and are now in the process of fledging (leaving) the nest. There is no way of knowing if the birds that nested were the same pair each year, although bald eagles typically have long-term bonds. One of more of the birds may have changed mates and used alternate nesting

This Sunday, more than a dozen zoo staff, volunteers, Zoo Corps teen interns and friends participated for the first time in Seattle's Pride Parade. Despite the 90 degree temperatures, everyone was decked out in their finest pink duds to promote the zoo's new Chilean flamingo exhibit. We received an overwhelming response from parade-goers with nearly a dozen people asking if they could march along with us! Our contingent grew to nearly 50 people as we made our way through an estimated crowd of 400,000 people to Seattle Center. We want to express our appreciation for everyone who turned out for the parade, both those who marched and those who cheered us on. Hopefully we'll return next year with a penguin-themed group to celebrate Pride and our new Humboldt penguin exhibit!

Even the animals at the zoo are getting into the act, including our Ossabaw island hogs making "pigs" of themselves, and celebrating the upcoming Fourth of July with picnic-themed treats. Watermelons, star-shaped popsicles, corn on the cob and more will be the featured enrichment items this Saturday and Sunday. Novel, but healthy, items will be given to a variety of the animals to chop, nosh and otherwise enjoy. Visit our Red, White and Zoo page for a complete schedule. (Photo by Ryan Hawk)

Don't let the gray skies get you down. Overcast skies can mean great lighting for animal portraits! Fancy yourself an animal photographer? Here are some helpful tips from Woodland Park Zoo's own staff photographer Ryan Hawk to make your photos really pop. Tip 1: Go gray. Clouds act like giant softboxes, providing bright, diffused light. Animals with light faces and/or dark fur, like Uzumma the gorilla above, photograph best under overcast skies. Tip 2: Early is best. Animals like the lion above explore their exhibits for food in the morning and many are most active at that time of day. Tip 3: Get eye level. Shoot from the same level as the eyes of the animal for more intimate portraits, like the one of Hadiah the tiger above.

Single 340 pound South African lioness seeks male companion. Must love napping, have interest in mating. Big mane a plus. The two new lions on the Savanna block met for the first time this week and zoo staff are hoping for the sparks to fly. Nine-year-old male krugeri lion Hubert, from Knoxville Zoo, and nine-year-old female krugeri lioness Kalisa, from Virginia Zoo, have up until now been rotating their time since joining the Woodland Park Zoo's award-winning African Savanna exhibit. But for the first time ever, the zookeepers allowed the lions to meet each other in their exhibit this week, now that they are comfortably adjusting to their new home. Watch them interact here: The meeting went well, if a bit cautious at first. They checked each other out, even flirted a little. Kalisa has been seen rolling around on her back, “tempting” Hubert. They have also been roaring at each other, the ultimate cat-call. Keepers will continue to slowly introduce the lions to each other, increasi

It's not all fun and games at Woodland Park Zoo. Sometimes there's drama! Behold the clash of the grizzly titans... (turn the sound up for maximum effect) The snow was purposefully added into the exhibit as enrichment for the bears. Introducing novel objects and materials (which can be anything from smells to food and even toys) or making a change to their habitat kicks the bears’ natural instincts into high gear and keeps them mentally and physically stimulated. What other kinds of enrichment for the animals have you noticed around the zoo?

In this month's National Geographic Magazine , there is a gorgeous spread of the most intimate portraits of wild snow leopards ever seen. These elusive animals are hard to spot and even harder to get close to, so seasoned wildlife photographer Steve Winter had to set up a series of camera traps that snapped photos whenever an animal appeared. You can meet the photographer at Woodland Park Zoo this Thursday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. Come hear about his adventures tracking snow leopards in the daunting Himalayas and see a presentation of these stunning snow leopard photos, many of which were not included in the National Geographic article. Tickets are $10 adults; $5 for children (under 3 free). This event is hosted by Seattle-based Snow Leopard Trust and co-sponsored by Woodland Park Zoo.