Woodland Park Zoo Blog

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.

Posted by: Zoo Corps The flamingos are doing great in their new exhibit! They are slowly becoming accustomed to a constant stream of curious visitors. Flamingos are a gregarious species, meaning they like to live in large groups. Our flock currently has 27 members, but will soon grow when we add six new hand-raised female flamingos to the exhibit. We hope that the flamingos will be more comfortable in a larger group and begin breeding. Look out for breeding behaviors like nest building or synchronized group “dances,” which eventually lead to eggs and then a crèche (a congregation of baby flamingos separated from the adults, except for feeding). Babies don’t resemble the adults as closely as you might think; instead of being pink with a long curved beak, they spend their first two years fluffy white and straight-beaked. Already, our flamingos have begun building nests from mud, sticks, and sometimes even feathers. Flamingos are extremely protective of their nest sites and will bec

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.

Are you seeing pink? Operation Flamingo Flock is underway! Look for hundreds of pink plastic flamingos flocking together at your favorite parks and shops throughout Seattle . These plastic ambassadors are out there to brighten your day and to brighten the way for the real flamingos’ premiere at their new exhibit, opening this Saturday, May 24. Flock Alert: if you spot a flock somewhere in Seattle , post a comment to let our readers know where! As for the real birds, they are settling into the exhibit well as we gear up for Saturday’s opening event with live music, flamingo-themed giveaways, cupcakes, a keeper talk and more. Photo by Dale Unruh.

Flamingos are getting all the attention these days, but there’s another exhibit opening this weekend that you don’t want to miss… The always popular Butterflies and Blooms exhibit re-opens for the summer season on Fri., May 23 (now free with zoo admission). You’ll be surrounded by nearly 1000 free-flying butterflies representing 15 North American species . If you’re lucky, you may even get one to land on you. Here’s a tip: butterflies are attracted to bright colors! Zebra longwing butterfly , photo by Dennis Conner.

Last summer, the zoo introduced a new up-close animal experience for visitors---Giraffe Feeding! More than 16,000 people took advantage of this special encounter, feeding the giraffes leafy browse from an elevated platform. We're again offering this unique experience, a favorite for both kids and adults to be close to these amazing giants of the African savanna. Participants get to see the giraffes' purplish-black nearly two-foot long tongues as they wrap around a branch to strip off their favorite leaves and witness their luxurious eyelashes. Keepers are on-hand to help out and reveal the fascinating details about giraffe natural history and how they are cared for here. So ask lots of questions! Giraffe feedings will be held twice daily until September 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $5.00 per person; free for kids 2 years and under. Photo by Ryan Hawk

Q: What's the fastest way to move a flock of flamingos from one place to another? A: Carry them! The 27 members of the zoo’s flock of Chilean flamingos were carried one by one to their new exhibit today. They won’t make their public premiere until Memorial Day weekend, but we’ve moved them in a bit early to let them get acquainted with their (still off-view) new home. After settling in their holding area for a few hours, the birds paraded into their new exhibit and have begun to explore their surroundings. The keepers are watching the birds closely to see how they adjust to the new space -- several birds have already been observed drinking from the pool. Want to see them for yourselves? Don't miss the opening day celebration on Sat., May 24, filled with South American music, flamingo programs and giveaways, stilt walkers and pink cupcakes from Cupcake Royale. See you there! Photos by Melissa Wheeler.

A wild, male, juvenile black bear that was captured in an area around Renton by the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife had suffered a dislocated hip and a fractured femur and the Progressive Animals Welfare Society based in Lynnwood (otherwise known as PAWS) was asked to help care for the bear's injuries. With help from the zoo's Animal Health team, the PAWS veterinarians and animal health care members, and surgeons from Seattle's Animal Surgical Clinic, a full exam was performed and surgery to repair the damaged leg. Dr. John Huckabee with PAWS reports that the surgery was successful and the bear is now on the mend and recovering his mobility in his cast. PAWS has a long-time, and very successful, wildlife rehabilitation program and the zoo was delighted to be able to help provide professional support and facilities for the procedure. PAWS and the zoo have collaborated on several projects in the past, including the state laws banning private ownership of potential

Towan, the 40-year-old orangutan at the zoo, has done it again. One of his preferred pastimes is the creation of beautiful (at least to our eyes and who knows, maybe his, too!) abstract artworks. Just in time for Mother's Day, he's painted two colorful masterpieces. We've put the paintings on Ebay in order to help raise funds for the 2009 International Congress of Zoo Keepers (ICZK) conference, to be held here in September 2009. ICZK joins keepers from around the globe in order to meet, network and learn valuable new insights into their profession and to help them share new techniques in order to care for the animals in their institutions in innovative new ways. The bidding is on now until May 8, so bid early...and often! Click here to read more about the ICZK and make your bid.

Who doesn't love a frog? From Kermit to the to aural symphony provided each spring by peepers and chorus frogs, frogs play an important role in the environment. In honor of frogs and our other amphibian friends, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the accrediting body for more than 210 zoos and aquariums around the U.S., has declared 2008 the Year of the Frog. Globally, amphibians are in decline due to habitat loss, pollution and the deadly effects of the chytrid fungus, a fungus that kills the majority of animals it infects. Local frog populations are now beginning to see the effects of chytrid. Woodland Park Zoo, in association with the Alliance of Zoos & Aquariums, a Northwest regional consortium of zoos and aquariums, and the Washington Fish & Wildlife Department, are banding together to help in a recovery project for the Oregon spotted frog, a native species which has declined significantly in 78 percent of its historic range from southern B.C. to northern Califor

The black-and-white colobus monkeys on exhibit in our Tropical Rain Forest area have received some additional exhibit-mates and so now five colobus make the spot their home. Last week brought introductions to each other. Many species of monkeys are highly social but highly territorial and hierarchical so careful introductions are vital to incorporating new members into the group. Soon the new members were exploring the exhibit and getting their social nuances worked out. Colobus are native across equitorial Africa and are known for their dramatic black coats with flowing white hair. The name "colobus" is derived from the Greek word meaning "docked" or "mutilated." Colobus monkeys once were thought to be abnormal because they have no thumb, or only a small stub where the thumb would usually be. This is actually an adaptation rather than a mutilation which allows colobus monkeys to easily travel along the tops of branches quadripedally. (Photo by Dennis Dow)

You know how rough your cat's tongue is when it licks your hand? Imagine that magnified on a grand scale with the tongue of a lion! Jake, our 17-year-old male lion went under anesthetic last week to get a full physical exam. Our veterinary health team gave him the once over to see how this elderly fellow was doing (they generally can live up to about 20 years in captivity and around 16 in the wild). One of the amazing aspects that one sees are the rows and rows of hooked appendages on their tongue. Called papillae, they are located at the tongue’s center. Papillae form backward-facing hooks containing large amounts of keratin, the same material found in human fingernails. These hooks provide the abrasiveness a cat needs for self-grooming. The strength of these hooks also helps a cat hold food or struggle with prey and are great for licking meat off the bone.

The newly named baby gorilla is getting more and more active with each passing day. Mother Amanda, always cautious, seems to be allowing her more latitude as she begins to explore the exhibit and interact with her sister Calaya and groupmate Jumoke. But actions speak louder than words so here's a video of the bundle of energy as she plays. (Photo by Dennis Dow; video by Ryan Hawk)

Anyone who is a fan of these elegant and colorful birds is anticipating their return to the zoo after nearly 15 years. On May 24, our new Chilean flamingo exhibit will open and avian fans will flock to see these brilliant birds. Although these birds are directly threatened with extinction, like many species of birds, they are prone to the actions of humans that are beginning to have devastating effects on their habitats in Chile. We will teach, through signs, talks and interactive elements how our actions, even here far to the north in Seattle, can have lasting impact on these birds. Here are a couple shots of the progress on the new exhibit which will feature a wading pond, a viewing boardwalk for visitors, and a meandering path. Nearby, other animals native to the flamingos' range will be exhibited nearby including the southern pudu and coscoroba swans. Hope to see you on May 24 for opening day festivities!! (Photos by Ryan Hawk)

Orangutan Towan made national news on the recent broadcast of "Weekend Edition" with Scott Simon. Gigi Allianic , the zoo's PR manager, noted Towan's interest in painting and his intensity in creating his "art." You can hear the piece at the following link to NPR. Tune into our blog next week and we will be posting video of Towan making yet another masterpiece. And soon, we'll be featuring a special Mother's Day piece for auction on eBay! http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89583858

A young snow leopard has come to join the snow leopard exhibit. The male, named "Tom" (his littermate was given the moniker "Jerry"), was born in 2006 at the Los Angles Zoo and arrived here in February. After clearing quarantine, the cat took up residence in our Australia snow leopard exhibit. His keepers note that Tom is a very social cat, very vocal to keepers and other animals, and responds well to his caretakers and to Nadia, the 14-year-old female that has been here for a number of years. He has more white in his coat that Nadia, is a little larger, and but still has more "filling out" to do. Tom's keepers say that his favorite play items are cardboard boxes---which he promptly shreds to pieces! Due to the big age difference between the two cats and Nadia's advanced age, we are not looking to breed these two animals. Another younger female will be arriving soon and we hope to receive a breeding recommendation four these two new cats from the S

The baby gorilla now has a name, thanks to 3-1/2-year-old Rhys Olson of Seattle (o.k., he had a bit of help from his dad, Rick!). Uzumma is an Igbo-langugage word that means "bearer of joy to the family". Rhys wins a year-long membership to the zoo, a $150 Ivar's gift card, a gorilla "adoption" through our ZooParent program, a large plush gorilla toy and a framed print of the baby and her handprint. Ivar's CEO Bob Donegan announced the winning name today at 10:00 a.m. at the gorilla exhibit with Rhys and his dad in attendance, along with five other top contests. Some of the other suggested names were Ekemma, Igbo for "beautiful Eke Market day"; Abeni, a Yoruba word for "one who you must beg for to have". The zoo's gorilla keeper staff and volunteers served as judges. We thank everyone who entered (nearly 1,000 entries overall) and we congratulate Rhys and his family on their achievement! (Photo of Rick Olson and gorilla naming winner