Woodland Park Zoo Blog

It's not all fun and games at Woodland Park Zoo. Sometimes there's drama! Behold the clash of the grizzly titans... (turn the sound up for maximum effect) The snow was purposefully added into the exhibit as enrichment for the bears. Introducing novel objects and materials (which can be anything from smells to food and even toys) or making a change to their habitat kicks the bears’ natural instincts into high gear and keeps them mentally and physically stimulated. What other kinds of enrichment for the animals have you noticed around the zoo?

In this month's National Geographic Magazine , there is a gorgeous spread of the most intimate portraits of wild snow leopards ever seen. These elusive animals are hard to spot and even harder to get close to, so seasoned wildlife photographer Steve Winter had to set up a series of camera traps that snapped photos whenever an animal appeared. You can meet the photographer at Woodland Park Zoo this Thursday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. Come hear about his adventures tracking snow leopards in the daunting Himalayas and see a presentation of these stunning snow leopard photos, many of which were not included in the National Geographic article. Tickets are $10 adults; $5 for children (under 3 free). This event is hosted by Seattle-based Snow Leopard Trust and co-sponsored by Woodland Park Zoo.

Few people have heard of this diminutive deer species hailing from South America, but once you've seen these adorable deer, you won't forget them! Southern pudu inhabit dense, temperate forests containing thick bamboo understories from sea level to 5,500 feet (1,676 m). Adult pudu weigh around 14-30 pounds and stand 14-18 inches high. The babies weigh only about 1-1.5 pounds at birth and about 8 inches tall! This weekend we were delighted with the birth of this endangered species here at the zoo. The pudus are exhibited adjacent to our brand new Chilean flamingo exhibit, a bird species that share their habitat in the wild. For more information about this species, which is disappearing in the wild due to illegal logging, habitat loss and hunting, visit our Southern Pudu Fact Sheet . View a short video of these little deer below (note this video does not have sound):

With beautiful weather and beautiful birds, Saturday's flamingo exhibit opening day brought in over 10,000 visitors! Thanks to everyone who came out to welcome the flamingos to their new home. Photos by Dennis Dow, Ryan Hawk, and Adria Saracino.

Are you seeing pink? Operation Flamingo Flock is underway! Look for hundreds of pink plastic flamingos flocking together at your favorite parks and shops throughout Seattle . These plastic ambassadors are out there to brighten your day and to brighten the way for the real flamingos’ premiere at their new exhibit, opening this Saturday, May 24. Flock Alert: if you spot a flock somewhere in Seattle , post a comment to let our readers know where! As for the real birds, they are settling into the exhibit well as we gear up for Saturday’s opening event with live music, flamingo-themed giveaways, cupcakes, a keeper talk and more. Photo by Dale Unruh.

Flamingos are getting all the attention these days, but there’s another exhibit opening this weekend that you don’t want to miss… The always popular Butterflies and Blooms exhibit re-opens for the summer season on Fri., May 23 (now free with zoo admission). You’ll be surrounded by nearly 1000 free-flying butterflies representing 15 North American species . If you’re lucky, you may even get one to land on you. Here’s a tip: butterflies are attracted to bright colors! Zebra longwing butterfly , photo by Dennis Conner.

Last summer, the zoo introduced a new up-close animal experience for visitors---Giraffe Feeding! More than 16,000 people took advantage of this special encounter, feeding the giraffes leafy browse from an elevated platform. We're again offering this unique experience, a favorite for both kids and adults to be close to these amazing giants of the African savanna. Participants get to see the giraffes' purplish-black nearly two-foot long tongues as they wrap around a branch to strip off their favorite leaves and witness their luxurious eyelashes. Keepers are on-hand to help out and reveal the fascinating details about giraffe natural history and how they are cared for here. So ask lots of questions! Giraffe feedings will be held twice daily until September 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $5.00 per person; free for kids 2 years and under. Photo by Ryan Hawk