Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications The lion cubs' first birthday is just weeks away, coming up November 8. The growing quadruplets have come a long way since their debut. Remember when they took their first steps outside at just three months old? The foursome stuck close to mom and tentatively explored all the new sights and smells that surrounded them. Now at 11 months old, the cubs run this space with total confidence. (Love that there’s one staring off into space in both photos!) Top: The lion cubs on their first day outside at 3 months old, photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo; Bottom: Now 11 months old, the lion cubs strut with confidence, photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. They are coming into the age now where they would begin to hunt. Those predatory behaviors we've watched them develop through play are starting to become more honed and skilled. Take a look at those no-joke claws. Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. It is easy to tell the two

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Did you know that whenever you buy a 12 oz. bag of Caffe Vita's Zoo Special Reserve coffee, Caffe Vita donates $1 of every purchase to Woodland Park Zoo? We love their commitment to helping the environment, which is why we serve this shade-grown, organic and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee here at the zoo, too! Coffee : Grizzlies :: Catnip : Cats. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo Now through the month of October, when you buy a 12 oz. bag of Zoo Special Reserve at any Caffe Vita location, you will automatically be entered to win a Woodland Park Zoo Family Fun Pack good for two adult and two child zoo admission tickets to keep or to share! We recommend drinking the coffee, but the grizzlies have other ideas about the best way to use those grounds.

Posted by: Terry Blumer, ZooStore Photos by Terry Blumer/Woodland Park Zoo Editor’s Note: In this final installment, ZooStore manager Terry Blumer takes us inside the conservation commerce workshops in Mongolia he recently helped lead for local artisans, creating an eco-friendly income alternative to poaching in snow leopard habitat with the zoo’s conservation partner, the Snow Leopard Trust . See parts one and two to catch up with Terry’s travels and understand the role of conservation commerce in the zoo’s conservation mission. Four large work areas, lots and lots of wool and fifty-plus people make for an action packed and fun-filled day! Well, actually, five days—but time passes quickly when you are working hard AND having fun and that is exactly what we've been doing. Introducing new ideas and discussing techniques and topics is challenging enough in one language and twice as lengthy and challenging when going through a translator. Challenges aside, this is important

Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications Photos by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo Clear the cob webs from your costumes, lace up your running shoes and run wild at Woodland Park Zoo’s 2nd annual Pumpkin Dash 5K Fun Run/Walk presented by Chevron, coming up Sunday, October 27. All racers are encouraged to dress in costume! We're kicking off the Halloween season with two spooktacular races, the 5K Run/Walk and a 1K Kids Dash. 5K race registration is $30 on or before October 27, $40 day-of-race registration. 1K Kids Dash is $10. All participants will receive a Pumpkin Dash Fun Run t-shirt and a zoo pass valid for one admission through December 31, 2013 included with their race fee. Participants in the 5K Fun Run/Walk can anticipate a scenic course beginning and ending at the Green Lake Small Crafts Center. The top three overall male and female finishers will receive awards in the ceremony at the conclusion of the race. Stick around after the race to join Woodlan

Posted by: Fred Koontz, Vice President of Field Conservation and Jennifer Pramuk, Animal Curator Washington has a reputation for being wet all the time, yet that infamous wet weather belies the real story—our actual wetlands are disappearing, and along with them our native frogs. The most aquatic frog of all in the Northwest is the Oregon spotted frog, who has become an ambassador for our local wetlands now that it has been thrust into the national spotlight. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Why are all eyes suddenly on this little frog? The Oregon spotted frog is currently being considered for protection as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act—a listing we hope to see become reality. Though the timeline may be impacted by the government shutdown, there's no doubt that this opportunity presents a major milestone for Northwest conservation. For the past five years, Woodland Park Zoo has been working with the Washington Department of Fish and

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Happy 8th birthday to our wonderful momma jaguar! May your day be filled with uninterrupted cat naps, Nayla.

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications …Or face-lift, you know, a makeover, remodel, renovation. Last spring, what started with some peeling paint and worn out walls in the kookaburra exhibit in Woodland Park Zoo's Australasia biome turned into a larger project. The exhibits crew spent the summer rebuilding the entire space. Now, the exhibit's resident kookaburras, honeyeaters and masked plovers have settled back into their newly revamped digs, complete with a fresh coat of paint and luscious foliage. Top: Honeyeater, bottom: Masked plover and right: Laughing kookaburra. Photos: Dennis Dow/WPZ.  The crew did an awesome job designing a shallow wading pool for these birds that live near streams and marshes in their native Australia. They also installed proper lighting (with energy efficient light bulbs) for the collection of plants in the exhibit. Then the horticulture team added some beautiful vegetation that mimics an Australian forest, including grasses, unde