Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications “There goes the barbecue…” Last week we shared some photos from our Bear Affair event held June 4. In our latest video, you can see 700-pound grizzly bear brothers, Keema and Denali, in action. Watch with your sound turned up to hear bear expert and zoo conservation partner Chris Morgan provide insight on bear safety as the grizzlies show us exactly how much damage they can do to our campsites and backyards. Always be bear aware. If we do our part to keep attractants like garbage, birdseed and barbecues contained when camping or living in bear country, practice bear safety and give these animals plenty of space, we can help protect not just bears but people too. And never keep marshmallows in your sleeping bag! For more info on grizzlies, how we're protecting them in Washington state and what you can do to be bear safe, visit: http://bearinfo.org/ . Video shot and edited by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo.

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications With recent bear sightings in Bothell and Renton, and the start of camping and cook-out season, we want to make sure you are prepared with essential tips for living with wildlife here in the Pacific Northwest. We’re dedicating June 4 to a day of programming that will show you how to avoid attracting bears to your home and campsite, while also showing you how to attract wildlife you do want to your backyard, including birds and butterflies. Join us June 4 for our annual Bear Affair and Big Howl for Wolves presented by Brown Bear Car Wash . You’ll meet bear ecologist and adventurer Chris Morgan who’ll make a guest appearance for bear demonstrations and a book signing. Watch grizzlies rip through a mock campsite and a yard setting in the naturalistic grizzly bear exhibit. Learn safety camping tips by Boy Scouts. Talk to representatives from Wolf Haven International and Conservation Northwest. Get up close to a Karelian bear dog and find

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications The zoo’s lush 92 acres make a naturalistic home for more than 1,000 animals—and a stunning backdrop for any wedding . In the spirit of romance on this Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting one of the many weddings held at Woodland Park Zoo in the last year—the wedding of Seattle lovebirds Ethan and Anne Loomis Thompson. For Anne and Ethan, Woodland Park Zoo has always been a favorite date spot. As members, they visit often to connect with their favorite animals—the red pandas , toucans, hornbills, hippos , armadillos and penguins . When it was time to plan for their big day, the couple wanted not only a beautiful setting, but also for their wedding to support a cause that matters to them. Their minds quickly turned to Woodland Park Zoo. They had seen the zoo transform into a gorgeous event setting each time they attended the zoo’s annual Jungle Party fundraiser, and it was there that they learned about two community-focused zoo conservation pr

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications A splash of fruit juice, a handful of smelt, and lotsa love are surefire ingredients to a river otter’s heart. Our annual Valentine’s Day enrichment event is coming up on Saturday, and we gave press a sneak peek of the action today when we let our river otters indulge in some fish-filled, heart-shaped ice pops. River otters Sunny, a 15-year-old female, and Duncan, a 13-year-old male, swam with amazing speed and agility to chase after the pops that were dropped into their pool in the award-winning Northern Trail exhibit . After munching their way through the ice pops, we gave the otters another enrichment opportunity—a heart-shaped wreath stuffed with frozen smelt. The wreath proved the perfect size for the otters to swim through as they picked off the frozen fish. Love will be in the air for the zoo’s other animal ambassadors as they celebrate Valentine’s Day with heart-shaped ice pops, herbal bouquets, heart-shaped steaks, and more on Satu

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications In anticipation of Pumpkin Bash , we gave meerkats and grizzlies a preview of the tasty snacks awaiting them this weekend. First up, the meerkats filled their bellies with pumpkin when we set out two jack o’ lanterns in their exhibit. They are always quick to investigate anything new, so they scrambled immediately to check out the large pumpkins. Some climbed right through the holes to get to the tasty inside, while others clawed and gnawed at the outer portion. After the meerkats stuffed themselves, the grizzlies got their turn. The pumpkins were tossed into the exhibit making an impressive splash. Our two grizzly bears, 16-year-old brothers Keema and Denali each grabbed a pumpkin and took them to their own spot. It didn’t take long for them to smash open their pumpkins and enjoy the innards, the evidence all over their faces. You can see elephants, gorillas, hippos and more enjoying pumpkin treats at this weekend’s Pumpkin Bash on Saturda

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications We’re hosting our first ever Zoo Fan Meetup on Sun., August 22 during Seattle Geek Week and we’d love to meet our blog readers in person! Come on out and meet zoo staff and other zoo fans, and spend your day getting some sweet discounts, giveaways and exclusive activities as our thanks to you for being our biggest fans. Meetup is free with zoo admission or membership. Here's what's happening that day: - Download your coupon to get $2 off admission that day - Stop by our booth in the West Plaza near penguins any time from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and enjoy: o First 20 people to stop by our booth and say the magic phrase get a special surprise gift. Stay tuned to our Facebook updates for the magic phrase! o Yummy, gourmet cookies (while they last!) o Zoo Grab Bag! Reach into our grab bag and be rewarded with either: - Free carousel ride - Free seed stick at Willawong Station - Free gira

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications We’re still winding down from our 34th annual Jungle Party , held last Friday on the zoo’s North Meadow with nearly a thousand zoo supporters in attendance. What a party! Even in the heat, we enjoyed dining al fresco with up-close animal encounters and tours, while the graceful Versatile Arts aerialists entertained. This year’s theme, “Big Claws, Big Cause,” commemorated the felines living at the zoo such as snow leopards, jaguars and Sumatran tigers. And our guests must have been inspired by the theme, because some ferocious bidding on our amazing auction items helped bring our fundraising total to $1.7 million—exceeding our goal by $300,000! Jungle Partiers were especially moved by the animal care focus of our Fund-Our-Future effort this year, with a record-breaking $832,000 (of the $1.7 million raised) dedicated to the fund which will help us support the zoo’s exceptional animal and veterinary care and exhibit upgrades. The funds will go

Posted by: Eric Kowalczyk, Zookeeper It was a perfect day for birding weatherwise for our annual Early Morning Birdwalk at the zoo this past Saturday: temperatures in low 50s, perfectly blue skies, no wind. If only the birds would cooperate! About 30 guests met us at the zoo's South Entrance at 6:45 a.m. After a brief introduction, we split the group up into two smaller parties. One group was led by raptor keeper Tom Aversa and docent Pat Bredouw. The other group was led by me with great assistance from docents Anna Martin and Laurie Ann Dudley. We wandered around the most likely places on the zoo grounds in hopes to spot some migratory birds that have stopped here for some fattening up before their next leg of their nocturnal migration north. The total bird count was 32 species. Some of the migratory species seen/heard by at least some include: western tanager, Townsend's warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, Wilson's warbler, warbling vireo, black-headed grosbeak, white-cr

Posted by: Amy Davis, Zookeeper This Earth Day, help us raise money for the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (PS-AAZK) by joining us at our annual book sale. Browse the selection of new and used books at the zoo on Thursday, April 22, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Proceeds from your purchases will go to assist our PS-AAZK keepers with conservation projects and continuing education so they can better serve our animals! The book sale will take place in the zoo’s ARC building, located next to the West Entrance, near Zoomazium. Hope to see you there and thanks for your support! Photo by Peter S. Miller.

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Love is in the air at Woodland Park Zoo, but it’s not just the animals that are pairing up. In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s the true story of two sweethearts who not only met through the zoo, but now plan to wed here too! Kristine & Darrell The couple: Darrell works for Metropolitan Market , one of the sponsors of Woodland Park Zoo’s summer concert series BECU ZooTunes  presented by Carter Subaru. Kristine owns and operates a local fudge company that sells to Metropolitan Market. Meeting at the zoo: The pair had met before, but it wasn’t until they both worked at the Metropolitan Market sample booth at last year’s B-52s ZooTunes concert that they really sensed a spark. They returned to ZooTunes to enjoy the Susan Tedeschi concert—a perfect setting for a date with a romantic picnic featuring Darrell’s homemade peach & blackberry cobbler and ice cream—and have been together ever since! Wedding at the zoo: In Kristine’s wo

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications The way to an otter’s heart is an ice pop made with a splash of fruit juice, a handful of smelt, a sprinkling of carrots and a whole lotta love. Enjoy this video of Woodland Park Zoo’s pair of river otters —Sunny, the 14-year-old female, and Duncan, the 12-year-old male—as they frolic with their custom-made, heart-shaped ice pops for an early Valentine’s Day celebration: Other zoo animals will celebrate Valentine’s Day presented by Franz Bakeries with heart-shaped ice pops, herbal bouquets, heart-shaped steaks, and more on Saturday, Feb. 13, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Full schedule of enrichment activities is available online so you can plan your perfect Valentine’s date! The special treats are part of the zoo’s ongoing enrichment program to help enrich the lives of the animals by promoting natural animal behavior, such as foraging, playing and exploring, keeping animals mentally and physically stimulated and engaging zoo visitors. Photos: R

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications If you have seen celebrity naturalist David Mizejewski from National Wildlife Federation on any of his regular radio or television appearances—including the Today Show, Martha Stewart, HGTV and Animal Planet—you know he is committed to making the world a better place for wildlife. And now he is coming to the zoo to show you how you can do the same while having fun with your family. David will be joined by several animals that live at the zoo for a special free event at Zoomazium on February 5 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. He’ll share great ideas on creating wildlife-friendly gardens in your own backyard and community, and fun ways of getting kids outdoors and connecting with nature. Hope to see you there!

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications We’re asking for your help to provide relief for the community by dropping off food donations at our annual Turkey Toss event this Saturday. We’ll be accepting donations of non-perishable food items at the zoo to benefit the Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) soup kitchen program. Food items can be dropped off on November 21 outside the zoo’s South Entrance (N. 50th St. & Fremont Ave. N.) during operating hours, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Zoo admission is not required to donate food, but if you join us that day, you’ll see snow leopards, Komodo dragons, grizzlies, lions and more carnivorous species chow down on raw, store-prepared turkeys—all part of the zoo’s ongoing enrichment program for the animals! So what kinds of food items should you donate? Our friends at the PNA soup kitchen program tell us the items most in demand are: non-perishable juice, jam, canned fruit, beans, canned vegetables, chili, ketchup and powdered creamers. Ever

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Don't miss the debut of the snow leopard cubs tomorrow, Saturday, August 15, at noon during our 3rd annual Snow Leopard Day . The male cub will get his name--chosen by your votes--and the public will see the cubs take their first official steps into the exhibit! Enjoy a full day of activities (9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) celebrating one of the world’s most endangered and elusive wild animals. The third annual event is hosted by the zoo and its conservation partner, the Snow Leopard Trust , to highlight the fascinating adaptations of the snow leopard and critical conservation efforts to protect them in the wild. Activities include: * Keeper talks and special enrichment for the snow leopards * Conservation talks by Snow Leopard Trust * Book launch and signing of "Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia" with author Sy Montgomery * Snow leopard-inspired crafts for kids * Special themed programs for

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications A Storm is coming to Woodland Park Zoo... Meet WNBA Seattle Storm stars Ashley Robinson and Janell Burse on Sun., August 2 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. at Woodland Park Zoo! You can catch Robinson and Burse as they tour the Humboldt penguin and Willawong Station exhibits, then meet them for an autograph under the Storm tent at the southwest corner of the North Meadow, across from penguins. But wait…there’s more! For being a zoo AND Storm fan, you get half off tickets for Zoo Night at the Seattle Storm vs. Phoenix Mercury game on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m. Follow this link to purchase regularly-priced $34 seats for just $17! Be sure to visit the Penguin Wagon and zoo table on the West Plaza before the game and say hi to us. We'll see you there!

Posted by: Katherine Steen, Education Want to join a Woodland Park Zoo team restoring habitat for wildlife at Licton Springs Park? Sign up for a habitat restoration event with us and EarthCorps ! Back on May 16, our zoo team had a great time with EarthCorps and community volunteers restoring habitat at Golden Gardens Park . And now, we’re doing it again! This summer WPZ invites you to share the habitat by taking action to protect and restore wildlife habitat around the world and in our own backyards. On Saturday, July 11th, a team of zoo staff, volunteers, and friends will be joining Earth Corps and the Green Seattle Partnership for a restoration event at Licton Springs Park in north Seattle. Add it to your calendar! Saturday, July 11th, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. What to expect: You'll be side by side with zoo staff and volunteers planting native trees, shrubs, and ground cover. EarthCorps will provide gloves, tools, water, light refreshments (coffee, tea, water and donuts!) and a ta

With help from his parents and the full support of Woodland Park Zoo, 3-year-old pre-school philanthropist Lucas Engles-Klann would like to invite you to his second annual Dine Out for Animals fundraiser... Hi all you Zoo Fans! I love animals, and I know you do, too. Although I'm only 3 years old, I want to help Woodland Park Zoo help people learn how to save animals and the habitats they need for their homes. So please come to my second annual Dine Out for Animals fundraising dinner at Elemental, next Sunday June 28 from 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. All proceeds will help the zoo care for its amazing primates--including my friends, the gorillas. Love, Lucas Engles-Klann Lucas's love of gorillas inspired him to host the first annual Dine Out for Animals last year, where money raised went to support the creation of a new "jungle gym" for our gorillas . Now Lucas is ready to expand his project to support other primates at Woodland Park Zoo, and he is hosting the second annua

( Parents’ Night Out childcare is available at upcoming ZooTunes concerts on 7/1 and 7/2-- please register online to guarantee your child's spot . Read on to hear one five-year-old’s experience at the first ever Parents’ Night Out…) Posted by: Janel Kempf, Education While our almost-five-year-old daughter, Elena, has come with us in the past to many ZooTunes concerts (her first live music experience ever was They Might Be Giants when she was just six weeks old), WPZ was offering an interesting new option the night of The B-52s concert: Parents’ Night Out childcare ! I knew I’d be more willing to dance embarrassingly to an 80’s band without any chance of grandma hearing the next-day report of how weird I am. Elena was excited too—why hang around with mom, dad, and their friends when you can play all evening at Zoomazium ? So, I signed her up, and dropped her off at 5:00 p.m. the night of the concert. (In plenty of time, by the way, to meet my husband and friends back in line and

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: Ric Brewer, Communications This past Saturday we celebrated the fourth Bear Affair, our annual event that provides tons of information about bear species around the world. The centerpiece of the event, and perhaps the most highly anticipated activity by zoo visitors (and maybe the bears!) is the non-safe campground demonstration. This entails recreating a human campsite within the brown bear exhibit in our Northern Trail zone. The campsite is complete, including a tent, barbeque equipment, clothing, sleeping bag and a cooler---basically all the equipment one would take along on a camping trip. The twist is that instead of storing food safely away from bears--in airtight bags 15 feet or more up in a tree, in bear safe containers--everything is left casually around the site. And this is what happened... Julie Hopkins, a field coordinator from our conservation partner, the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project , narrated as the bears were let out to discover the bounty left strewn abou