Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Gray wolf, Shila, was a treasure and we will deeply miss her. Woodland Park Zoo is deeply saddened by the loss of its sole gray wolf, Shila (SHY-lah), who has passed away. Animal keepers found the 14-year-old, female wolf deceased this morning in her habitat. In human care, the median life expectancy for gray wolves is 11 to 12 years old. At 14, Shila was a geriatric wolf. As a standard procedure, the zoo’s animal health team will perform a postmortem exam to further diagnose factors that may have contributed to Shila’s death. Shila was born in April 2010 at New York State Zoo at Thompson Park and moved to Woodland Park Zoo in the fall that year with her three sisters who have all since passed away. Woodland Park Zoo made groundbreaking medical headway for wolves when in June this year its veterinary team partnered with an external veterinary cardiologist to implant a pacemaker in Shila to treat a ...

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Happy birthday—or hatch day—to this special emu! Windana turned 30 years old on March 22, which makes him one of the oldest known emus in all of the accredited zoos in North America! Emus have an average life expectancy of around 10 years in the wild and around 20 years in human care—so Windana’s age is a testament to the amazing care he receives, day in and day out, from our animal keepers and veterinary staff. Windana is a sweetheart of an emu with a permanent case of bedhead. Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Emus are large flightless birds native to Australia. They’re the second largest living birds on the planet next to the ostriches of Africa and, as adults, can easily grow 5 to 6 feet tall. Windana, whose name comes from an Aboriginal word referencing a “crossroads” or a “turning point”, has lived at Woodland Park Zoo for almost his whole life. He arrived here in 1992, along with a female emu around the same age named Kowia. Both o...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Red panda Yukiko was 16 years old. Photo by animal keeper Megan/ Woodland Park Zoo We are sad to announce that our beloved red panda, Yukiko, was humanely euthanized today after an examination to evaluate cardiac issues related to old age. At 16 years old, Yukiko lived well beyond the life expectancy of his species. The median life expectancy for red pandas in zoos is 10 years and 8 years in their natural habitat. The geriatric red panda was recently diagnosed with severe heart disease and had been under close observation and treatment. Because he stopped taking prescribed medications and his appetite had decreased for the last few days, Woodland Park Zoo’s animal health team brought in a veterinary cardiologist to better define his heart condition. The exam revealed that he was in heart failure due to advanced cardiomyopathy. Due to a poor prognosis and the compromised quality of Yukiko’s life, the decision was made to humanely euthanize him. Yu...

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Editor's Note: Sadly, after a very full life, we said goodbye to George on May 20, 2021. He was 25 years old—more than 10 years older than the average life expectancy for his species—and he was the oldest goral in the entire population at accredited N. American zoos. His longevity with such a high quality of life is a tribute to all his amazing Woodland Park Zoo caretakers over the years.  At Woodland Park Zoo, our commitment to conservation starts with the 1,000 or so animals who call this place home. No matter what stage of life they’re in, they deserve the very best care—including our seniors, many of whom are still active and healthy well into their golden years. George is a Chinese goral who lives his best retirement life at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo: Tamlyn Sapp/Woodland Park Zoo Among the oldest, relative to the life expectancy for his species, is one that you might not have ever seen or even heard of. Geng Rui, a.k.a. George, is a ...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Woodland Park Zoo said goodbye to Mr. Sea, a male Humboldt penguin. Due to a decline in health, he has been humanely euthanized. The geriatric penguin was two months shy of his 32nd birthday. Mr. Sea was the oldest penguin at the zoo and one of the oldest of his species in North America. Forty penguins remain in our zoo’s colony. Mr. Sea was not only our oldest penguin, he was one of the oldest of his species in North America. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Because of his advanced age, our dedicated penguin keepers and animal health team members have been closely monitoring Mr. Sea for some time. They noticed during the last several weeks, that his appetite and activity level were down. The median life expectancy for Humboldt penguins that survive their first year is 17.6 years for both males and females. Mr. Sea has been part of our penguin colony for 11 years. He fathered nine offspring at his former home and at the zoo; he lea...

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications Video and Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/WPZ Watch video: Emma the rabbit receives acupuncture and massage therapy. When we think of aging, we look to our elders to show us how it’s done, and here at the zoo there are some furrier examples of aging gracefully. Getting older can be rough on the body, but with the right health care plan, assistance from geriatric specialists, physical therapy, medication and lifestyle changes, people can enjoy many active, healthy golden years. For decades, humans have known the healing benefits of physical therapy. Today, rehabilitation techniques are emerging as a new standard in best animal care programs in zoos around the country, and Woodland Park Zoo is at the forefront of providing thisspecialized care .  Meet Emma, a 13-year-old English spot rabbit. Emma has enjoyed an illustrious 11-year career as an ambassador animal at Woodland Park Zoo. Emma has been a special presence fo...