Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor It's time to find your inner beast, Northwest style! As we countdown to Bear Affair: Living Northwest Conservation presented by Brown Bear Car Wash on Sat., June 6, we're celebrating the wonders of Northwest wildlife with this fun little quiz that puts the spotlight on our native neighbors. Take the quiz at http://www.zoo.org/bearaffair Learning to co-exist safely and harmoniously with our local wildlife is at the heart of Bear Affair. On the big day, June 6, grizzly bear brothers Keema and Denali will ransack a mock backyard and mock campsite in their exhibit to show us what happens when you don’t properly clean up or bear proof your outdoor living spaces. Zookeepers and conservation experts will be on hand to teach you the safety tips you can follow to avoid dangerous encounters like this in your yard or on your next camping or hiking adventure. Photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo. Through the zoo's Living Northwest c

Posted by: Kerston Swartz, Public Affairs and Advocacy Are your ears ringing, boys? It’s just because we can’t stop talking about tigers! Photo: Dennis Dow/WPZ. We’re kind of tiger nerds at Woodland Park Zoo. You already know this: the zoo has its paws in a lot of tiger-related stuff this summer. So far, we opened our new Banyan Wilds exhibit featuring three new Malayan tiger brothers and organized prominent local artists to decorate ten magnificent fiberglass tigers to place throughout the community as part of the Show Your Stripes art tour… and it’s only May. Show Your Stripes Tour tiger ambassadors. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer Lindgren/WPZ. Add to the list a partnership worth roaring about. Tiger Story Time at The Seattle Public Library. Photo by Jerry and Lois Photography. With all this tiger mania going on, imagine our excitement when The Seattle Public Library invited us to partner on its Summer of Learning Program. We’re calling this summer’s program “Wild S

Posted by: Stacey Hammond, Education This past winter, ZooCrew students learned about the conservation issues that face the Northwest and designed projects to address those issues. All of these projects highlighted how climate change is affecting animals. From bats to birds to wolverines and wolves, check out some of the projects from the Mercer, Denny, and Washington Middle School ZooCrew students below. Bat Houses Students from all three schools made bat houses, which will be hung up on zoo grounds. Bats are an important part of a healthy ecosystem. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, bat populations have decreased. By building bat houses, the students are helping create safe homes for bats. Denny Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Mercer Middle School students. Washington Middle School students. Backyard Bird Counts Another project highlighted bird conservation. Students observed birds in t

Posted by: Kerston Swartz, Public Affairs and Advocacy Manager Today Woodland Park Zoo and our campaign partners announced Initiative 1401 , a citizens’ initiative to strengthen laws banning sales of endangered species products in Washington state. In November, the people of Washington will be able to vote YES on I-1401 , and significantly decrease our state’s contribution to the current unprecedented rate of tiger, elephant, rhino and lion poaching. Pangolin: Boniface Osujaki/ Tarangire Elephant Project , a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife. African elephant: Peter Steward via Flickr. Malayan tiger: Razak Abu Bakar via Flickr. Rhino: Jim Frost via Flickr. These wild animals don’t roam our state, but parts of them certainly make their way into the U.S. and to our region. Washingtonians will not spot a lion stalking its prey on the San Juan Islands or see a rhino charging the wheat fields of the Palouse, but we might have the opportunity to buy an ivory trinket in Tac

Two days ago, Woodland Park Zoo’s female Asian elephants, Bamboo and Chai, departed on a custom-built elephant transport vehicle for their new home at Oklahoma City Zoo. The caravan had to change their route in Salt Lake City due to a storm in Colorado and Wyoming that was expected to increase in severity. Because the reroute would have extended the trip a day longer, a decision was made for veterinary precautions to go to San Diego Zoo and allow the elephants to rest. Bamboo and Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mandi Fillmore/Woodland Park Zoo A total of three elephant experts, two veterinarians and three staff with the transportation consultant are accompanying the truck transporting Bamboo and Chai. The team has been making stops every few hours for wellness checks on the elephants and to provide food and change water. According to Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo, an extra day on the road would have been challenging for Bamboo and Chai. “For their wel

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Conservation starts with conversation. To save tigers, we need to get people talking about tigers. Here at Woodland Park Zoo, we’re transforming the heart of the zoo into the new Banyan Wilds exhibit opening May 2. And now we’re bringing tiger conservation into the heart of the community too. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The Show Your Stripes Tour launched today at the base of the Space Needle with the unveiling of 10 tiger statues designed by local artists. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. With fewer than 3,200 tigers left in the wild, now is the time for action. The zoo challenged each artist to select a conservation issue these endangered big cats face and bring the story to life using any media or style. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. The results will challenge you. Inspire you. And motivate you. Are you ready to show your stripes for tigers? Photo by John

Chai and Bamboo at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. A new chapter began for female Asian elephants Bamboo and Chai when they stepped into elephant-sized travel crates, were loaded on the flatbed truck, and left Woodland Park Zoo for their new home at Oklahoma City Zoo. The truck pulled out at 6:15 p.m. PST today, April 15. Bamboo and Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mandi Fillmore/Woodland Park Zoo. Bamboo, 48, and Chai, 36, were the last remaining elephants at Woodland Park Zoo. Their departure came after four months of planning to ensure they can join a family of Asian elephants and live in a socially enriching environment. The 2,000-mile journey to Oklahoma City will take approximately 35 to 40 hours. A total of three elephant experts, two veterinarians and three staff with the transport consultant are accompanying the truck. The trip will be straight through except to stop every few hours to check on the animals’ well-being and to provide fo