Woodland Park Zoo Blog

By Kirsten Pisto, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, unless otherwise noted If you’ve visited the zoo during our Raptor Flight Program , you’ve seen our raptors demonstrate their skillful aerial maneuvers. Experts at flying over the crowd and returning safely to their trainer’s glove, the raptors are used to the oohs and ahhs of a large audience in the flight yard. These birds know the subtle signals of their flight trainers and are practiced at staying on task, even when the peskiest neighborhood crows taunt them from the treetops. Lola gracefully glides between the trees, perfectly suited for quick maneuvering.  As proficient as these raptors are, once in a while keepers put them to the test and try out fresh scenarios. This allows the birds to learn new skills as well as strengthen their instinct to return to their handlers during the free flights. By introducing new terrain, keepers have a good idea of how tuned in the birds are. A quiet Friday a

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications A new exhibit for North American butterflies and a stage for up-close experiences with animals such as skunks and pot-bellied pigs are among the new features coming to Woodland Park Zoo in 2016. Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. The butterflies and new ambassador animals will highlight a previously underused area of the zoo near the popular Zoomazium. The new outdoor stage is expected to be a real highlight for zoo guests who want to get up close and personal with these animals. In addition—to mark its 10th anniversary—Zoomazium will see a refreshment of its programming and technology. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Right next door will be the new Butterfly Garden, a completely new exhibit to replace one closed during the 2009 recession. Zoo guests will enter a covered area, stroll among free-flying butterflies, and explore the various habitats of North American butterfly species while learning about the biology, behavior

Posted by: Snow Leopard Trust, a Woodland Park Zoo Partner for Wildlife Editor's Note: Woodland Park Zoo is excited to share this latest news from our Partner for Wildlife, the Snow Leopard Trust . The Trust’s work in Kyrgyzstan is in collaboration with Woodland Park Zoo and we are very proud of our Field Conservation Associate, Kubanych Jumaby, for his innovative leadership. The following is adapted from an article originally published on the Snow Leopard Trust Blog ... The Snow Leopard Trust, Snow Leopard Foundation Kyrgyzstan and the Kyrgyz Department of Hunting and Natural Resource Management are piloting a new, innovative conservation program: they are turning a hunting concession, where ibex were commercially hunted, into a co-managed nature reserve. The 100 square mile former concession area, Shamshy, in Kyrgyzstan’s northern Tian Shan mountains, is home to ibex, and seasonal populations of argali and wolves. It lies within a large snow leopard landscape, and has th

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor In the first video of our baby gorilla, the now 6-week-old little girl gets a quick veterinary check up from Woodland Park Zoo Director of Animal Health, Dr. Darin Collins. WATCH:  Video: Baby gorilla gets a veterinary check up. She's looking great, doing well, and with a healthy appetite, she now weighs in at 7 pounds. As she grows, her little leg muscles are starting to develop and that means baby has now hit another milestone: she's starting to crawl! She can only cover short distances, but with the way she now holds her head steady and is starting to really take in her surroundings, she'll be an explorer soon. The infant continues to receive round-the-clock care from zookeepers. Several times a day the keepers provide opportunities for first-time mom Nadiri and her baby to interact. During these patient introductions, Nadiri is given the choice to be with her baby and the introductions have remained positive. In the c

Posted by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Photography and Videography As 2015 draws to a close, our team of editors and photographers recently took a look back through our photo vault to find some of the best images created here at the zoo in the past year. With well over 1,600 photos to choose from it was no easy task, but we think we found 15 photos for 2015 that will encourage you to learn, care and act in the coming New Year! Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. We loved this photo, also featured as our December 2015 shot in the 2016 calendar, for its awkward family photo vibe. Zoo blog editor Rebecca Whitham summed it up thusly: “It has all the hallmarks of a classic family photo: one guy in the middle giving blue steel while others are looking off to the side, blinking or getting caught making funny faces.” Which one are you? John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo. Awww! This year we celebrated our 49th and 50th penguin chicks here at the zoo. And they couldn’t be cuter! This adorable

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications UPDATE | Dec. 30, 2015 Sad news: At just over one week old, our baby sloth bear passed away overnight. The baby had been under mom’s care in a private maternity den. This is the second cub to pass from Kushali’s December 19 litter—the first cub was not viable and did not survive past the first 48 hours. Though we hoped for a happier outcome for the second cub, and its first days were encouraging, the cub passed during the night as mom slept. It is not uncommon for first-time sloth bear mothers to lose their litter. Sloth bears are born tiny and blind, and the first few days are always critical. Kushali was an attentive mom and will have other opportunities to breed in the future.  It’s hard to lose a gift as beautiful as new life especially for a species at risk, and we want to thank you all for your support.  ORIGINAL POST | Dec. 28, 2015 We’re excited to share some wonderful news; our young female sloth bear, Kushali, gave birth to

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo At almost a month old! Introductions between first-time mother Nadiri and her new baby are moving along at a slow pace, but a step in the right direction is good news, no matter how tiny those steps may be. The baby western lowland gorilla , a female, was born November 20 to 19-year-old Nadiri. After giving birth naturally, Nadiri did not pick up her baby. Staff immediately stepped in for the safety and welfare of the baby and to allow the new mom to rest. Because Nadiri does not have experience with motherhood, the zoo prepared for different outcomes while Nadiri was pregnant, including human intervention. Zoo gorilla and veterinary staff are providing 24/7 care for the baby gorilla behind the scenes in the gorillas’ sleeping quarters in a den next to Nadiri. The mom and the other two members in her group can see the baby, and the baby is immersed in the sights, s