Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Ryan Hawk, Photographer The first Chilean flamingo chick born at Woodland Park Zoo continues to grow and develop. Its big legs, loud squawks, and fuzzy/downy white feathers make this little guy unique. (Seen here in the tub of water at 1 week old.) Now 2 weeks old, the chick has been introduced to water, as well as to solid foods in the form of a slurry which it has already learned to filter feed from. The chick is currently off public view. Photos by Ryan Hawk

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications We’ve got exciting news! A Chilean flamingo chick has hatched at Woodland Park Zoo, marking the first time the zoo has successfully hatched a Chilean flamingo in its 109-year history! The chick hatched in an incubator on August 25, following a 29-day incubation period. To ensure a higher chance of survival, a team of dedicated and expert staff are hand-raising and hand-feeding the chick off public exhibit for now. You might remember the arrival of a new flock of more than 25 flamingos last year. They debuted in a brand new 4,000-square-foot exhibit that opened in May 2008. This spring represented the first full breeding season for the new flock in the new exhibit as the graceful birds put on a striking show of synchronized courtship and ritualized behaviors for zoo guests – head flagging, wing saluting and marching in sequence and unison. This active display culminated with nest building, egg laying and one chick to date! Zoo guests can see the

Posted by: Mark Myers, Animal Curator A Northern helmeted curassow chick hatched 6/26 with a little assistance from keepers since the chick wasn’t making much progress after 48 hours of effort. It is now located behind the scenes in a brooder box next to its mother in the zoo’s Conservation Aviary in the Temperate Forest zone. By keeping it next to her, the chick should become more properly socialized and have less of a chance of imprinting on humans. To reduce imprinting, staff minimizes talking in the presence of the chick. Like chickens or turkeys, curassow chicks are precocial at hatching—meaning they are born relatively independent—and with guidance, they learn to eat on their own very quickly. To stimulate it to eat, we use objects like tweezers or a long stick with a red tip to point food out to the chick. These chicks are also very arboreal and they like to perch up off the ground. At hatching, their wing feathers are very well developed which allows them to take short flights

Posted by: Mark Myers, Curator Woodland Park Zoo’s first ever tawny frogmouth chick is growing up! What first looked like a cottonball is now starting to look more like the adults of its species. At 20 days of age, the chick is doing great and achieving all the expected developmental benchmarks—it has clear eyes, its flight feathers are growing well and its weight is up to 5.9 ounces (it would take six stamps to mail it!). The first-time parents are doing well too. The male, shown here, has been sitting on the nest during the day brooding the chick. The chick has been given the name Nangkita, an aboriginal word inspired by its native Australia meaning “place of little frogs.” It’s a fitting name given the bird’s wide, frog-like mouth. Typically tawny frogmouth chicks leave the nest between anywhere from 25-35 days of age. Photos and video by Ryan Hawk.

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Penguins can’t fly, but this one can… And most penguins wear “tuxedos,” but this one sports a robe… Come see dozens of these colorful and inventive penguin artworks unveiled this Friday, when Woodland Park Zoo and The Greenwood Collective launch our community art project— Penguins on the March . Sixty-two artists from across Seattle, ranging in ages 8 to 80, designed and decorated these 22” penguin statues that will migrate across Seattle neighborhoods this summer. But first, they’ll be unveiled at the base of the Space Needle on Friday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to noon, and later that evening at The Greenwood Collective during the Art Walk, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Both events are free to the public, so come on by! Then the penguins will migrate to outdoor locations across Ballard, Fremont, Greenwood and Phinney Ridge throughout the summer, spreading art and wildlife awareness. And brightening your day! Inspired by Woodland Park Zoo’s all new Humbol

Posted by: Mark Myers, Curator What looks like an oversized cottonball with a beak is actually Woodland Park Zoo's first ever Tawny frogmouth hatchling! Keepers had been artificially incubating the egg for about 25 days (shorter than the usual 28-30 day incubation period), and within an hour of hatching Thursday morning, returned it to the nest where the parents have now taken over care. The parents, who came to us earlier this year from the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, are very attentive and defensive of the chick so far. Based on the chick’s weight gain, they also seem to be doing a good job of feeding their new hatchling. Woodland Park Zoo is one of only four zoos to have successfully bred this species in the last six years. As Population Management Plan coordinator for this species across all Association of Zoos & Aquariums institutions, I can say that this hatching represents a very significant achievement for the North American zoo population. Native to Australia, t

Posted by Zookeeper Eric Kowalczyk Video by Natalia Balodis Photo by Dennis Dow 7 May 2009, 1445hrs: Zoo visitor Natalia Balodis of Washougal, W A, was lucky enough to be at the right spot at the right time. Prior to this short video taken in the walk-thru of the Conservation Aviary, the brown female Cabot’s tragopan ( Tragopan caboti ) was observed crouched low in the grass, pumping her wings (“wing whirring”); she was facing one of the large boulders in the center of the enclosure. The colorful male was on the other side of this boulder and began his frontal courtship display. This begins with the distending of his throat wattle until it hangs like a fleshy bib in front of his breast. Then he began pumping his wings up and down along the sides of his body. Bright blue fleshy “horns” emerged from the top of his head. As the wing flapping increased in speed, he stood as tall as possible and then charged around the boulder towards the female. This can be viewed in this 21 second clip. C

Posted by: Ric Brewer, Communications Today marked the beginning of the ceremonies to open the zoo's new Humboldt penguin exhibit. Local dignitaries gathered to speak about the sustainability features of the exhibit, the hard work performed by zoo staff and contractors and, of course, about the penguins themselves which frolicked playfully as the speakers made their comments. Also on hand was 13-year-old Harrison Grad who, when 11, donated his birthday money to help towards the building of a new exhibit. Well, now his dream is a reality as donors and zoo members were treated to the opening, cupcakes by Cupcake Royale, music by Quicha Mashis, and, once again, the penguins that delighted everyone in their spacious new pool, complete with underwater viewing. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 2, is the official opening for the general public. Come and check out their new digs, learn about the conservation the zoo supports to help these endangered birds in the wild, and what YOU can do to help th

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Keep an eye out for the fun Woodland Park Zoo busboards, billboards, and radio commercials featuring our new penguin exhibit--now "more colorful than ever" thanks to an all new exhibit design that lets penguins swim, sun, dive, splash and porpoise the day away. Explore the exhibit, play games, and download colorful penguin desktop backgrounds at http://www.morecolorful.org/ .

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications We are really excited about a new project. Woodland Park Zoo and The Greenwood Collective are inviting artists of all experience levels to participate in Penguins on the March , a community art project designed to celebrate the zoo’s new penguin exhibit , spotlight Seattle’s arts community and benefit Woodland Park Zoo’s field conservation projects around the world. Artists are invited to paint, embellish and decorate 22-inch fabricated penguins by the end of May. Penguins on the March will be unveiled at the Space Needle in early June. The artist decorated penguins will migrate throughout Seattle neighborhoods (including Fremont and Ballard) landing at The Greenwood Collective during the July 10th monthly art walk for a silent auction to benefit the zoo’s field conservation projects. The call for artists has begun, and online and email artist submission will be open through April 30th. Here's how to enter: In-person Submissions: The Gre

Watch the penguins explore their new exhibit for the first time and see some of the amazing underwater views visitors will get when they visit. And don't forget to turn up the sound for full effect! The all new exhibit transports zoo visitors to the desert coast of Punta San Juan – home of the largest colony of wild Humboldt penguins in Peru. Watch the video for a peek at the shoreline cliffs, nesting burrows, rocky tide pools, crashing waves and sunny beaches in the naturalistic new home for penguins. And with special windows and acrylic walls, dramatic vantage points will offer guests nose-to-beak viewing as penguins splash, dive and swoop underwater. See it all for yourself when the exhibit opens on May 2!

Posted by: Ernie Rose, Flamingo Keeper 'Tis the season of the penguin...but the flamingos are still here and doing some really cool behaviors. This is their first full breeding season in the new exhibit and they are beginning to show some of their synchronized courtship/breeding behaviors. Things to look for are: Head flagging: They all stretch their necks up high like they're trying to peek over a wall and then start turning their heads from side to side. At first just a few them are doing it, then more and more, and after awhile they are all in synchrony. Wing saluting: At first it looks like one or two might be just stretching one wing or the other. One does it, then another, and as it progresses through the flock it gets faster and faster where each one is whipping out one or both wings and drawing them back in very quickly. Marching/parading: While they are head flagging, the entire flock will begin moving in one direction or another and march back and forth across t

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications The new colony of Humboldt penguins was introduced today for the first time to Woodland Park Zoo’s new penguin exhibit , and boy was it a thrill to watch! The 20 tuxedoed birds waddled outdoors onto the beach and naturally did what penguins in the wild do—go swimming! Up until today, the penguins (10 males and 10 females) had been in standard quarantine in the interior enclosure of the new exhibit as part of our excellent animal care program. They arrived three weeks ago from five other zoos and aquariums, and had been behind the scenes getting used to each other, their keepers and their new daily routine. After showing great signs that they were adjusting well , the penguins were ready to take their first steps outside since arriving—and what a day for a debut with the sun shining and the water glistening blue! The birds wasted no time in exploring the depths of the pool, the sunny beaches and the shady nooks of their exhibit. Some even built

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications and Jona Jacobson, Field Conservation Humboldt penguins nest in poop. No, really. In the wild, Humboldt penguins dig their nests into guano, the accumulated droppings of sea birds. These nesting burrows protect eggs and chicks in the unique yet unforgiving desert environment that is Punta San Juan, Peru—home of Peru’s largest Humboldt penguin population, and the inspiration for Woodland Park Zoo’s new penguin exhibit opening in May. But this tidbit is important not just because it’s a great “Did you know?” to pull out at your next party, but because it’s also a significant factor in the conservation of this endangered species. You see, one of the greatest threats to Humboldt penguins is the overharvesting of guano as an agricultural fertilizer. Take away their nesting material, and penguins lose the ability to safely hatch eggs and add chicks to their already depleted population. To mitigate this threat, a guano reserve was created in Punta S

Posted by: Jona Jacobson, Field Conservation When it comes to conservation, it takes a village. Just ask the villagers of Tapoh, Thailand. To help protect hornbills from poaching and deforestation, the Hornbill Research Foundation (HRF) in Thailand—a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife—has been working closely with Tapoh villagers in the Narathiwat Province in southern Thailand to transition them into stewards of their own wildlife. The HRF employs local villagers and former poachers as nest guardians—guarding not only naturally occurring nests, but also constructing, installing and guarding artificial nests. Guarding nests is especially important because hornbills tend to nest in large-diameter trees, which, unfortunately, are the same type of trees that are felled to clear the land for agriculture or wood products. There’s good reason for the people of Tapoh to protect hornbills and their nesting sites: hornbills are seed dispersers, essential to the health of the forests upon w

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications With most of the penguin exhibit construction out of the way, our exhibit fabrication team is now shifting focus to adding the details that make the exhibit feel truly immersive. A 2-ton anchor was dropped into the exhibit space yesterday to add a visual cue that the exhibit takes you from the penguin-filled shoreline of Punta San Juan, Peru to the underwater ecosystem where penguins find their food. Underwater viewing "bubbles" in the new penguin exhibit Here you'll also learn about the commercial overfishing of anchovies--penguins' favorite food--and how some conservationists believe changing our food habits can help save the endangered Humboldt penguin species. You see, anchovies are primarily overfished to be ground down and used as farm feed. To encourage Peruvian fisheries to harvest fewer anchovies, consumers would need to create a profitable market for anchovies beyond their current, wasteful use as feed for farms. B

Posted by: Eric Kowalczyk, Zookeeper The national bird of Nepal has now made its way to Seattle. New to the zoo is a pair of Himalayan monal ( Lophophorus impeyanus ) pheasants, donated by a private aviculturist from Burien. This species is endangered due to habitat destruction and overhunting for food. Himalayan monals are typically found at elevations 9,000 to 14,500 feet from east Afghanistan eastwards through the Himalayas to Bhutan and northeast India and northward to Tibet. During the non-winter seasons, they prefer steep, rocky terrain with occasional grassy and scrub openings interspersed with woods. In the winter months, the birds descend to forested areas at lower altitudes where there is dense undergrowth. These birds are on exhibit at the Conservation Aviary in the Temperate Forest biome of the zoo. The very colorful male is adorned with iridescent plumage that shows best on sunny days. Ironically with this rainbow of colors, what is most prominent during courtship display

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications What are your unforgettable 2008 zoo moments? Share with us in the comments! Here’s my personal countdown of favorite zoo happenings in 2008: 8. A New Giraffe is Here! 7. Year of the Frog kicks off 6. Zoo goes pink with flamingos 5. Making way for penguins 4. Baby gorilla gets helping hand from Children’s Hospital 3. Whoop-de-zoo! Orangutans celebrate their 40th 2. Headstarted endangered turtles graduate into the wild 1. Ocelot kittens brighten the day

Posted by: Ric Brewer, Communications Consider this your "word of the day." Synanthropes are defined as animals that have adapted to human environments. These would include crows, rats, opossums, raccoons...you get the idea! Recently, a student performed his master's thesis on wild crows that made their home on the grounds of a south-central New York state zoo. The student designed a vending machine that would dispense peanuts when the crows pushed coins into a slot. The wily crows soon caught on, realizing that when they put coins in, food came out. Slowly the coins were removed which prompted the black birds to start scouring the zoo grounds for loose coins. The experiment was so successful that the student founded the Synanthropy Foundation in order to study synanthropic behavior in other animals. Now if my cat would just learn to make me breakfast...

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.