Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications As we gear up for the May 4th opening of phase one of our new Bamboo Forest Reserve exhibit, some of the details are starting to blossom! Here is a little sneak peek at the landscape horticulture elements that are part of the new exhibit. It’s all about landscape simulation—the zoo’s horticulture department seeks out plants that will thrive in our Pacific Northwest environment, while mimicking the flora found in the thick forests of Southeast Asia. Shaping a new exhibit’s greenery has three key components: 1.) the comfort and safety of the animals, 2.) allowing visitors to observe our animals in an environment inspired by natural habitats, 3.) and telling clearly the story of the entire biome, its diverse plant and animal species, and its conservation connections. Our horticulture team helps tell the conservation story of sharing the forest; the health of the forest being dependent on all its wildlife, from the fiercest tiger to the tinie

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications When you enter the new Bamboo Forest Reserve exhibit , your eyes might go directly to the otters , but it won’t be long before your ears pick up one of the other highlights of the exhibit—a sonorous aviary filled with the chirps, warbles and songs of five Asian tropical bird species. Nicobar pigeon. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. To find the birds, you’ll want to look up, down and all around the aviary, as the birds will be everywhere from high in the trees to low in the bushes. You’ll encounter the collared finchbill, white-rumped shama thrush, great argus, red-billed leiothrix and Nicobar pigeon. Great argus. Photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo. The five bird species are a loquacious crew and are host to an array of flamboyant plumage. From the call of the great argus as he prepares a spectacular dance for his mate to the sparkling metallic green feathers of the Nicobar pigeon, from the delicate porcelain songs of t

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Otter kisses. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. In just a few days, you’ll have the chance to meet the zoo’s new pair of Asian small-clawed otters when they make their debut in the Bamboo Forest Reserve exhibit opening May 4 . These are two tiny mustelids you won’t be able to resist. Kids test out the new play area in Bamboo Forest Reserve. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. The otters will debut alongside a tropical aviary and nature play area for kids—all part of phase one of the Bamboo Forest Reserve exhibit complex. Atop a rocky ledge, looking out over the exhibit. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. To get ready for their debut, the otters have been exploring their new home, investigating every ledge, stream and den to find all the best spots for lounging, swimming, eating and playing. Here you can catch a glimpse of the agile fingers small-clawed otters use for hunting. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodlan

Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications Photos by: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo Just when our zookeepers thought the baby boom was at bay, our porcupine pair delivered the zoo’s first ever North American porcupette (the name for a baby porcupine—and yes, the name is as cute as the baby)! Unlike the other recent births, we have to admit: we didn't see this one coming! Our 2-year-old breeding pair, Molly and Oliver, joined Woodland Park Zoo in June 2011 shortly after their April birthdays. At such a young age, zookeepers expected that Oliver was a year shy of sexual maturity. To their surprise, Molly gave birth to a male porcupette on April 18 in the Northern Trail exhibit den! Thinking back, Molly must have become pregnant in September, giving her a seven-month gestation period before birthing the pair’s first baby. A porcupette is born with a full coat and open eyes, contrasting many of its rodent counterparts. Within hours of birth its soft coat of quills beg

Posted by: Sergei M.Smirenski, Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife Photos by Vasili Dugintsov, courtesy of Cranes of Asia Editor note: This update just came in from Woodland Park Zoo’s Partner for Wildlife, Cranes of Asia: Muraviovka Park . The conservation project’s director, Sergei Smirenski, shares how his crew and community came together to help endangered cranes get through some hard times this spring. Cranes salute the coming of spring. Now that it’s spring, cranes and storks are trying to make their way back to Muraviovka Park quickly from their migration routes in order to occupy and defend their nest sites from other cranes. However, due to the unusually cold and snowy mid-spring, the southern part of the Zeya-Bureya plain in the park is still covered by more than 20 inches of snow, and lakes are frozen. The cranes and storks are arriving to find that there is no food available. Cranes search for food in the snow. Cranes can dig through the snow cover and

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications See concerts, save animals! BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru is celebrating 30 years of summer concerts with this tremendous line-up for 2013: June 23 - John Prine with Dustin Bentall and Kendel Carson June 30 – Old Crow Medicine Show with Parker Milsap July 7 – Huey Lewis & The News: SPORTS 30th Anniversary Tour July 17 – John Hiatt & The Combo with Holly Williams July 24 – An Evening With Randy Newman July 26 – LeAnn Rimes July 30 & 31 – Indigo Girls with Lindsay Fuller August 7 – Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with JJ Grey August 11 – Todd Snider's Traveling Folk Show Featuring Shawn Mullins, Hayes Carll and Sarah Jarosz August 15 – Loreena McKennitt August 22 & 23 – Brandi Carlile Tickets will go on sale online Fri., Apr. 26, at 8:00 a.m. Proceeds from ZooTunes help to support Woodland Park Zoo's animal care, education and conservation mission.

Posted by: Dr. Deborah B. Jensen, President & CEO Dr. Deborah B. Jensen. Photo by Matt Hagen. One of the perks of my job is the daily reminder of the many pathways to science and discovery at the zoo. Each of our 300 animal species, and thousands of plant species, has a unique biology and story reflecting the way it, like millions of other creatures, has found to survive on Earth. Likewise, I’m reminded of how zoo visitors’ journeys of discovery can lead to personal insights or new knowledge, or even open pathways to careers or timely innovations. Every day, I get to watch thousands of young people, teachers and families begin this wondrous trek. As a leader and as a scientist, I am privileged to engage our community in building pathways to a sustainable future. In many ways, today’s youth are ahead of the rest of us in recognizing the challenges our world faces, and they are looking for ways to begin designing lasting solutions. Of the 15 global challenges identified