Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo Say hello to Sotong, our Asian small-clawed otter pup born on December 9! The tiny pup's animal keepers have fondly named her Sotong (soh-TAWNG), Malay for squid or octopus—think Seattle Kraken! The 2-month-old pup is the first offspring for mom Little Frei and dad Conner. Little Frei was among the last litter born in 2016 at Woodland Park Zoo and was named after Seattle Sounders goalkeeper, Stefan Frei. The parents were paired under the Asian Small-clawed Otter Species Survival Plan. Species Survival Plans are cooperative breeding programs across accredited zoos to help ensure healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations of select species or subspecies. Asian small-clawed otters are very social, gregarious animals. Both mom and dad feed and help care for their young. At birth, the pups weigh about 1½ ounces, a little more than a slice of dense, whole-grain bread! Newborns can’t ...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor It’s a boy, and a boy, and a boy, and a girl! Four Asian small-clawed otters born in December had their first health check-up with zoo veterinarians today. All signs point to these little ones being healthy and well cared for by their doting mom, dad and older sisters. Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The wellness exam was our first opportunity to get weights, administer vaccinations and assess their overall health up close. At 2 months old, these pups are starting to be more mobile and have fully opened their eyes, so the time was right to take a closer look. We’re pleased to report all four pups are robust and healthy. They currently weigh between 1.3 to 1.5 pounds, have fully round bellies and strong appetites. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The pups were born December 9 to 7-year-old mother Teratai and 11-year-old father Guntur, their third litter. While the older sisters are actively particip...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Asian small-clawed otter pups at 7 weeks old. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo. Congratulations to mom Teratai and dad Guntur on their third litter of pups! Four Asian small-clawed otters were born December 9, 2016 , and are just now becoming more mobile and have fully opened their eyes. Asian small-clawed otters are all about family, and the new pups are being cared for attentively by their parents and three older sisters. They are spending their time in a private den behind-the-scenes. The whole family pitches in to raise the pups. Mom nurses the newborns and dad and siblings provide supportive care. Occasionally, the adults leave the den to go outdoors briefly, but prefer to stay indoors to focus on their pups. Watch: Fall in Love With Tiny Otter Babies Teratai and Guntur are experienced parents, and have successfully raised two previous litters. Though our keepers have a close eye on the family, we trust Teratai and Guntur to do all th...

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, communications Here’s J̶o̶h̶n̶n̶y̶ Guntur! (Video: bit.ly/otterjack by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo.) Our Asian small-clawed river otters received a special Halloween treat this year. Along with new bedding (straw), and Halloween themed objects to explore, the otter lodge was treated to a jack-o-lantern full of juicy worms. Mmm. We stuck a GoPro inside the gourd to give you a terrifying perspective.  Listen closely, can you hear the squeaks? Asian small-clawed otters are known for their many different vocalizations to communicate. Treats, did you say? Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo. Pumpkin Bash 2016 is this weekend, October 29-30, for details visit  http://www.zoo.org/halloween   Otters Guntur, Teratai, Maxwell, Chancellor, Sherman, Thomas, Peanut, Valerie, Boo and Cliff are slotted for another Halloween feast at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday Oct. 29! See you there. An otter investigates a...

By Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by Kirsten Pisto, Woodland Park Zoo (unless noted) At the heart of the zoo, we’re putting the finishing touches on our most ambitious exhibit project in nearly two decades. Banyan Wilds is our new home for three Malayan tigers, three sloth bears, an entire family of frolicking Asian small-clawed otters and a colorful aviary. We are eager to open this immersive exhibit to the public on May 2. As we watch the final details come together, we can’t help but share with you a sneak peek at some of the elements you’ll find in the tigers' and sloth bears' new home and a look back on what it took to get here! As luscious bamboo starters are positioned to plant, here is one view into the new tiger yard. The blue tape on the windows reminds workers that glass is in place. This view of the tiger stream is for tiger eyes only, but visitors will be watching from another viewpoint as tigers splash and play in the cool water. ...

Photos by Stan Milkowski/Woodland Park Zoo Junior the jaguar encountered a 40-year-old icon in his exhibit: the samoa cookie! As Girl Scouts of Western Washington celebrate the 40th birthday of the popular cookie, Junior received a giant samoa-inspired piñata stuffed with fish and topped with real coconut. We admit: it’s not exactly the same recipe the Girl Scouts use! Next up the Asian small-clawed otter family proved their ability to turn anything into a game when they got their hands—and teeth, and feet, and tails—onto, into and all over an empty box of the iconic cookies. Girl Scouts of Western Washington has been a great supporter of the zoo throughout the years—they have volunteered hours of service, contributed cookie fund donations, and joined us for many of our own zoo celebrations. They came to party, and the Girl Scouts who attended were decked out in cookie-inspired party gear! You can follow the party all week long by looking for #SamoaSightings  o...

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor and Gigi Allianic, Communications We are 12. Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo. The Mini Legion of Boom—Asian small-clawed otters Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor and Maxwell, huddled to raise the 12 Flag in their exhibit today. Video: Otters raise the 12 Flag for Seahawks Super Bowl Rally. Produced by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Sherman took the lead and set the flag waving for Seattle Seahawks fans as we rally for Super Bowl XLIX. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo. Then the otters got down to business for a little scrimmage, showing off their vertical and secondary defense. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo. Bring on the boom! Photo by John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo. The Mini Legion of Boom, four otter brothers born at the zoo in 2013, were named after the Legion of Boom as a tribute to the Seahawks explosive secondary. The otter brothers live with their parents and four younger siblings. Ph...

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Thanksgiving is a time for tradition—too much turkey, small talk with long-lost relatives, football jitters and holiday traffic jams—but we’re here to help you break convention and show your wild side. Take a cue from the animals and enjoy Thanksgiving like a beast! 1. Forage together In the wild, meerkats take turns foraging for small lizards, insects, birds and fruit while one or two of them act as a sentry and keep a lookout for predators. At the zoo, our meerkat mob dines on a variety of kibble, vegetables, crickets, mealworms, mice, fish and a carnivore meat diet. Tip from the meerkats: Holiday grocery shopping can be grueling, but not when you’ve got accomplices! Plan to visit the market with your own mob (a few close friends or family members). Divide your list and conquer the masses together. Then celebrate with a cricket pie. Hey, it’s protein! 2. Hoard your cache ...