Woodland Park Zoo Blog

UPDATE:  Ms. Goodall has respectfully asked for time to review the issues more closely while she reconsiders her viewpoint. We continue to provide her with information and access to sources as needed. Bamboo and Chai at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Mandi Fillmore/Woodland Park Zoo. ORIGINAL POST: Some of you may have seen last week a letter circulating from esteemed conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall about our plans to relocate elephants Chai and Bamboo to join a family at Oklahoma City Zoo. We had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Goodall and provide her access to more information about the careful planning that went into identifying their new home. After reviewing all the information available to her and consulting her network of professional colleagues, Ms. Goodall sent the following letter she would like for us to share with you all now. Click to enlarge: Text in full: Dear Mayor Murray, Council President Burgess, & Dr. Jensen:  On April 22, 2015, I made som

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor Chai and Bamboo continue to do well at San Diego Zoo, a temporary stop on their way to meet their new family at Oklahoma City Zoo . The girls are together in San Diego Zoo’s elephant quarantine area, which includes indoor rooms and an outdoor yard. Quarantine is standard for any animal newly arriving to an accredited zoo. Woodland Park Zoo keepers are with Chai and Bamboo providing them daily care. Video: Woodland Park Zoo elephants doing well at San Diego Zoo.   Produced by San Diego Zoo. In addition to the bulking quantities of hay, grain and produce the elephants consume each day, San Diego Zoo staff has been collecting browse plants for Chai and Bamboo, just as they were used to at Woodland Park Zoo. Yesterday’s flavor of the day—elm—was a big hit. Bamboo especially has been enjoying the hunt for hidden peanut butter balls, and the two have been chowing down on frozen nectar and fruit-sicles as well. Chai has discovered the water spr

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

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications Last week we shared a sneak peek of the new Malayan tiger and sloth bear exhibit Banyan Wilds (opening May 2). Now let’s take a closer look at the three tigers who have been keeping our horticulture crew busy (see evidence below) as they taste test out their new digs.  Our young tigers use all of their senses to get the dirt on their new space. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Liem, Eko and Olan arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in March and will make their debut when the new exhibit opens. The three brothers and their sister were born November 12, 2013 to Malayan tigers Liku and Suhana at Little Rock Zoo. Since their arrival the boys have been getting to know their keepers, exploring the new exhibit and testing out all of its features—especially the tiger stream. At one and a half years old, the young male tigers are curious, playful and especially interested in their keepers and still fascinated with each other. One by

VIDEO: Elephants Chai and Bamboo resting at San Diego Zoo. Footage courtesy of San Diego Zoo. Woodland Park Zoo’s female Asian elephants, Bamboo and Chai, spent the weekend at San Diego Zoo after their trip to Oklahoma City Zoo was rerouted due to a storm in Colorado and Wyoming that was expected to increase in severity. The pair continues to rest in comfort. According to Dr. Nancy Hawkes, Woodland Park Zoo’s general curator, Bamboo, 48, and Chai, 36, are eating, sleeping and interacting with their keepers, all positive signs they are doing well. “Blood draws and other tests show no evidence of medical concerns. Both elephants are hydrated and they are moving about normally,” said Hawkes. While at San Diego Zoo, the elephants are in an indoor facility in quarantine, which is standard procedure for any new animal at the zoo. The elephants have access to two large indoor rooms and an outdoor yard, all of which are off view to the public. Woodland Park Zoo’s keepers are provi

See Concerts. Save Animals. Tickets go on sale April 24 Blondie. Photo by Danielle St. Laurent. Another season of BECU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru summer concerts is heating up with this year’s blazing lineup: June 19 - The Doobie Brothers with special guest Pat Simmons Jr. June 28 - The B-52s July 12 - Indigo Girls July 21 - Melissa Etheridge & Blondie July 22 - Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers July 26 - “Sweet Harmony Soul” featuring Mavis Staples, Patty Griffin & Amy Helm July 29 - Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell August 9 - Ziggy Marley August 16 - Trampled By Turtles & The Devil Makes Three August 19 - Kenny Loggins The B-52s. Photo by Pieter M. van Hattem. New for 2015 Please add the appropriate amount of free child vouchers to your ticketing order (online or at gates) for each concert you will be attending. One child (12 and under) is free with each PAID general admission ticket. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.