Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Katie Ahl, Zookeeper This World Giraffe Day , coming up June 21, stick your neck out for these amazing animals by coming to visit them at Woodland Park Zoo. Here you can meet our four giraffe up close during the Giraffe Feeding Experience or watch them wander our African Savanna among zebra and oryx. Then talk to one of our keepers or volunteers about how Woodland Park Zoo and you can help save giraffe in Africa. Zookeeper Katie Ahl with giraffes Olivia, left, and Dave, right. Photo by Stan Milkowski/Woodland Park Zoo. A Who's Who Here’s a who’s who of our giraffe and how to tell them apart by their spots. Olivia. Photo by Katie Ahl/Woodland Park Zoo. Olivia is 8 years old and the mother of our little guy, Misawa. She has been an excellent first time mom to Misawa and is very independent. She is lighter in color and has several spots above each eye. She also has a cool crown spot on her right shoulder. Her ossicones (horns) are smooth and slender.

Posted by: Bobbi Miller, Conservation Their gentle but steady gait across the African savanna would seem to indicate the land’s tallest mammal hasn’t a care in the world. With a neck and legs that help to elevate it to anywhere between 14 and 17 feet tall, the giraffe snacks from the tops of acacia trees and should easily be able to see predators approaching on the savanna. Angolan giraffe are well adapted to their harsh desert environment. Photo by Julian & Steph Fennessy But giraffe are under increasing pressure in their homeland, causing their population numbers to have dropped by more than 40% over the past decade and a half. Despite the fact they can run at speeds of 31 miles an hour for a sustained period, they can’t seem to outrun the threats that are impacting the 9 known subspecies. In particular, giraffe are subject to poaching, disease, fragmentation and degradation leading to loss of habitat, and the expansion of human populations. Today, when you add up al

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor As giraffe calf Misawa nears his first birthday, coming up on August 6, we look back at a year of firsts for our not-so-little guy. The first look  Misawa at one day old. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Everyone remembers the first photo we shared of Seattle’s tallest baby—the infamous “grumpy” look on his face turned Misawa into a viral sensation. But in truth, the very first look at Misawa we got was in the incredible footage of his birth! Mom Olivia gave birth to the 6-foot-tall giraffe on August 6 at 7:03 p.m. The labor lasted about 1.5 hours and the video shows little Misawa finding his feet and standing for the first time just 1.5 hours after he was born! Video: Tallest baby in Seattle.  The first day outside  The first few days were spent nursing and bonding with mom inside the Giraffe Barn, but it wasn’t long before Misawa ventured into the outdoor area of the barn. Mom Olivia and Aunt Tufani were never too far fro

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Photos by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. You saw him arrive at the zoo in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video , then watched him hanging out in the barn during his standard quarantine. Now that quarantine is over for our newest arrival, Dave the giraffe, we’re giving you an inside look at how his first day out on the savanna went with his new herd mates! Introducing new animals to each other takes a lot of careful planning from zookeepers, and in the case of giraffes, it’s extra complicated. That’s because the giraffes not only live together as a herd, but they also share a mixed species exhibit with zebra, ostrich, gazelle and oryx. Up until now, adult female giraffes Tufani and Olivia, and nearly one-year-old male calf Misawa have been able to see, hear and smell Dave in the barn. But these intros marked the first time they shared space together. Taking it slow, we started introductions between the giraffes in the barn, first by allow

Posted by:  Kirsten Pisto, Communications, with Katie Ahl, Giraffe Keeper Photos by Stan Milkowski  Giraffe soak up the sun on the savanna at Woodland Park Zoo. World Giraffe Day, June 21, is just around the corner and we are excited to proclaim our love for giraffe alongside Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s (GCF) inaugural event for this amazing species. GCF would like to highlight the tallest and longest-necked animal on the longest day (or night, depending on which hemisphere you live in) of the year! By raising awareness and looking at the challenges giraffes face in the wild, we can all help secure the future for these amazing creatures. Let’s celebrate these graceful, gorgeous animals with a closer look at our own herd at Woodland Park Zoo. Giraffe keeper Katie Ahl gives us the lowdown (err, the high up?) on our four tallest residents. WPZ: Katie, how long have you been working with giraffe and what is your favorite part? Katie: I've been at Woodland Par

Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications Moving a giraffe is one tall order, but zookeepers at Woodland Park Zoo know just how to handle it. On May 30, we welcomed nearly 2-year-old Dave the giraffe to our herd, all the way from Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo. Dave steps out of the trailer and into his new home at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo. Dave made the 2,000-mile trek from the Chicago area in an extra tall trailer, offering greater neck and leg room for the long haul. The heightened trailer is equipped with slip-proof flooring and lots of bedding for resting. At his young age, Dave is not quite full grown, reaching just under 11 feet tall. His smaller stature made for a more comfortable move. To ensure a smooth transition from Brookfield Zoo, we worked together to find experienced drivers who specialize in large animal transportation for zoos nationwide. The extra tall trailer provided stretching room for the young giraffe. Photo by Kirs

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications What will you spot on the Savanna Cam today? Streaming live from Woodland Park Zoo’s award-winning African Savanna exhibit, our newest cam looks north over the exhibit plains from the African school house. Here you'll find the zoo’s giraffe, oryx, zebra, gazelle and ostrich, a mixed community of species that are naturally found together in the dry grasslands of Africa. The camera runs 24/7 and the best viewing is from dawn 'til dusk. In this video clip, you'll get a little preview of what you'll see on the cam. Tune into the Savanna Cam live stream for a real-time look at the savanna. VIDEO: Giraffe checks out the new Savanna Cam. When watching, look for highlights on the savanna including: Giraffe calf Misawa Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Though he towers over the grazers around him, nearly one-year-old giraffe calf Misawa is notably smaller than his mother Olivia and aunt Tufani. Look for the g

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications Giraffe calf Misawa browsing. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Giraffes are the tallest browsers in the world, reaching up to the tip-top of acacia trees on the African savanna. The acacia leaves themselves are packed with water, so the giraffes can go a long time without drinking. In the wild, giraffes spend most of their day nibbling on these leaves, a slow process because they can only grab a few leaves in each bite. They can eat up to 75 pounds of leaves in a single day. That is a lot of browsing! At the zoo, keepers provide our giraffes with special, sky-high enrichment in their indoor barn to encourage their browsing instinct. We stopped by the giraffe barn on a soggy spring day to check out some of their indoor activities. Our video host, Jordan Veasley, spoke with keeper Katie Ahl about the importance of recreating the wild browsing experience. In the video below you can see Katie and Jordan prepare bucket enrichment for

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 At almost three months old, it’s time for giraffe calf Misawa to stretch his long legs. Keepers have begun to give the giraffe calf, his mom Olivia and aunt Tufani access to the savanna for short introduction sessions on warmer days. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Last week Misawa took his very first steps onto the savanna exhibit. On day one, all the animals were cleared from the savanna except the easy-to-get-along-with gazelle and ducks. It was a foggy morning when Misawa emerged through the mists to find a world full of new sights, sounds and tastes surrounding him. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. He stuck close to mom’s side at first, but curiosity took over and he began to check out what the rest of the savanna had in store for him. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Day one didn’t last much longer than an hour, but he has been spending more and more time outside as the introductions continue. F