Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications It may be all about the chocolate for you, but it's heart-shaped steaks, herbal bouquets and strawberry ice pops for the animals at Woodland Park Zoo's Valentine's Day Celebration coming up this Sat., Feb. 8, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Orangutan Chinta enjoys a fruity ice pop. Photo: Ryan Hawk/WPZ. The sweet treats are designed to bring out the wild side of each animal, catered to their favorite flavors and the unique ways each likes to hunt, peck or dive into decadent treats. See the full schedule of enrichment activities to see which animals will be joining in. If you are ready to plan a date with your special someone, send them a free Valentine e-card.  We have lots of fun and flirty designs to choose from, inspired by the zoo's animals! Choose from a selection of Valentine e-cards inspired by Woodland Park Zoo animals. Original photo by Dennis Dow/WPZ.

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Take your pic with the #Tallest12 Some of the shortest 12s pose with the #Tallest12. Photo: Caileigh Robertson/Woodland Park Zoo. Wear your Seahawks gear and come pose with the #Tallest12. Photo: Caileigh Robertson/Woodland Park Zoo. For Seahawks Twelfies, take selfies next to a cutout sign of Misawa, the zoo’s 6-month-old, 9-foot-tall giraffe, who is Seattle’s #Tallest 12 decked out in Seahawks colors. Take your pic with the cutout at the zoo's West Entrance and share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #Tallest12 to show the wild side of your Blue Pride. (Zoo admission is not required to take your photo, but remember—wearing your Seahawks gear gets you  $3 off zoo admission  through Sunday.) Legion of Boom The Legion of Boom. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. In honor of the Seahawks’ secondary, Woodland Park Zoo has named our four Asian small-clawed otter boys after the Legion of Boom. The pups, S

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Photos: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo The Seahawks 12s are getting wilder than ever. Today penguins, Asian small-clawed otters, wolves, river otters, meerkats and lemurs joined the roster. Together we’re cheering on the Hawks as they advance to the NFC Championship. As they keep winning, you keep saving—take $3 off zoo admission when you sport your Seahawks gear through their run for the Super Bowl. When zookeeper Celine Pardo tossed a bucket full o’ footballs to the Humboldt penguins, we learned how penguins rush—let’s call it Beak Mode. Cortez the penguin took it to the next level, waving his flag for all the 12s out there. The Asian small-clawed otters huddled to come up with their next play. The other team will never see this gnawesome play coming. Every team needs a dependable kicker. If you want a wolf to keep possession, douse the ball with pineapple extract, anise extract and a spritz of musky cologne

Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications ‘Twas a celebration of winter, and all through the zoo every creature was stirring (especially the ‘roos)! Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Giant light bulbs were strung above the gray wolves with care, in hopes that treats would fall for all four wolves to share. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo In the Bamboo Forest Reserve, a small-clawed otter climbed upstream. Awaiting it at the top was a giant fir tree! Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo And Priscilla, the anoa, was given a tasty green wreath, which she nibbled on—so gently—with her two front teeth. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo When in Jaguar Cove arose a bright, white treat, disguised as a snowman, three hungry jaguars dug into juicy meat! Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Don’t worry, zoo fans. You haven’t missed out! We have more

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications You spend all that time decorating the tree, and then a grizzly comes along and gobbles it up. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Well, hopefully not at your house, but that’s exactly what happens at Woodland Park Zoo’s Winter Celebration , Dec. 14-16 and Dec. 21-23. Break out of hibernation and join us for some holiday-themed treats for the animals. They'll much on decorated wreaths and evergreen trees, and tear into gift wrapped boxes filled with favorite foods. Greet your loved ones with a snowy otter, one of several free e-card designs. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. 'Tis the season for sharing, so invite a friend to join you  by  sending a free Woodland Park Zoo holiday e-card! Browse from several designs and get started on making your tree-free card  today.

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Photos: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo From all of us here at Woodland Park Zoo, we give thanks to you—our amazing pack of wild-at-heart animal lovers who have helped make this world-class zoo a community tradition for 114 years. Of course, you can’t celebrate Thanksgiving without a feast and friends to share it with. So as you belly up to your perfectly set table to enjoy your holiday spread, allow us to start the meal off with an animal-inspired toast. [ Raise a glass ] Dearest friends… …Here’s to a drool-worthy Thanksgiving feast… …May your meal taste better than cardboard and may your guests not ruin your centerpiece… …May you wolf down your first serving so you can get to seconds. Then thirds… …Table manners aside, may you dive head first into the comforts and joys of the season... …And may your holidays be filled with tender moments. Cheers!

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications   Happy Birthday dear Nobuhle, Busela, Pelo and Rudo! Our foursome of frisky lion cubs celebrated their first trip around the sun today with a lot of gnawing, pawing and yes…yawning.     Photo by Ryan Hawk/ Woodland Park Zoo.                                 The cubs were born one year ago on November 8th. Today, the young lions received balls and bones in specially scented boxes as well as their favorite treat, bloodsicles (frozen carnivore ice pops) to celebrate their 1st birthday.   Here’s a recap of the birthday party antics:   Zookeeper Christine Fenwick started prepping for the event early this week by painting the large cardboard boxes in which to hide the birthday prizes. “The cubs have never had boxes this large,” she explained. “They are going to love ripping into them!” Christine painted the boxes with a simple non-toxic acrylic, safe for cub handling. Photo by Kirsten Pist

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Halloween comes to Woodland Park Zoo with Pumpkin Bash presented by Delta Dental of Washington just around the corner — coming up Oct. 26 & 27. Please, oh, please let there be fishes in this pumpkin. Photo: Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo. Pumpkins for the animals, trick-or-treating, and more are in store for little goblins and ghosts at Woodland Park Zoo’s family-friendly Pumpkin Bash. See how pumpkins bring out the animals’ wild instincts as hippos chomp, elephants smash, meerkats dig, and bears crunch their way through the festive treats. Activities free with zoo admission or membership. Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Exclusive Discount: During Pumpkin Bash, one child 12 years and under in costume is admitted FREE with a paid adult (cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion). Need a jumpstart on a Halloween costume? Download one of our free masks and get crafting on a DIY animal costume. You&#

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications A sun bathing dragon is not something you see every day, unless you work at Woodland Park Zoo! When most people think of Komodo dragons, they think of a dangerous creature with venomous bacteria filled saliva, sharp claws and tough scales. But, Komodos have a sensitive side, especially when it comes to their sunbathing needs! Video: Go behind the scenes at the Komodo dragon exhibit. Produced by Kirsten Pisto/WPZ In this new video , exhibit attendant Jordan Veasley and zoo experiences team member Sam Retic find out how a Komodo dragon soaks up the rays at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. They meet up with zookeeper Peter Miller who takes them behind the scenes to get up close with a sunbathing dragon. Photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo. Part of our job here at the zoo is to study the health of these reptiles, especially when it comes to sun exposure and vitamin D absorption. Working with these dragons is very rewarding. When