Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Beloved red panda, Carson, is exploring his new habitat! The treetops are alive! First, a tree kangaroo, and now a red panda is exploring the soon-to-open Forest Trailhead. The 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds are dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026. Zoo members will receive early access during member preview days April 28–30, 2026. Carson, an 11-year-old male red panda who boasts an impressive fan base of his own, is the latest mammal to be introduced to the new habitats in Forest Trailhead. In addition to a red panda, the all-new, interactive and multi-sensory exhibit will be home to tree kangaroos, kea—alpine parrots native to New Zealand—and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish species. According to Woodland Park Zoo animal keeper Megan Blandford, Carson is adjusting well in Forest Trailhead’s new Glen...

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Not all babies born or hatched at Woodland Park Zoo are warm, cuddly, furry and feathered. Adding to this year's baby boom, the zoo is proud to announce its newest hatching: approximately 30 medicinal leeches (they’re very difficult to count!)! It will take about two to three years for the new leeches to reach their adult size of approximately 6 inches. The leech hatchlings are the offspring of multiple adults the zoo rescued four years ago. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confiscated the adult leeches from an individual traveling from Russia to the U.S. who attempted to smuggle more than 40 adult leeches in water bottles. Woodland Park Zoo accepted all the leeches into its care. Watch: Leeches are babies too!  https://youtu.be/LxMT0SRXehU Earlier this year, the zoo received 22 more adult leeches from a U.S. breeder; the adult leeches from Russia immediately started breeding with the new additions. “Woodland Park Zoo works closely with wildl...