Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Editor's note: Elizabeth works in the content and creative team here at Woodland Park Zoo, so you've probably read her work in MyZoo magazine, on this very blog and many places between. She is a self-described bird nerd, a passionate animal protector and she holds an M.A. in Biology from our Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP ) with Miami University. Elizabeth recently traveled to Kenya with several zoo colleagues to witness firsthand the conservation work she so loves. We are eager to share her experience: A male lion in Kenya's Maasai Mara reserve. Photo: Elizabeth Bacher When people ask why I work at Woodland Park Zoo, the answer is easy. It’s the mission. I’m passionate about conservation and I’m fortunate to work at a place where that view is widely valued, supported and shared. Recently, I was lucky enough to travel to Kenya with several zoo colleagues who share a passion for that mission—animal keepers, educators, do

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Written by Stephanie Payne, gorilla keeper Note from the Editor: It’s time for an update on Woodland Park Zoo’s gorilla family. Beginning on Tuesday, April 23, our eight western lowland gorillas will be off public view for a few weeks to accommodate some improvements to their exhibit areas. While you might not be able to see them from the public viewing areas, a lot has been going on behind the scenes. Animal keeper Stephanie Payne brings us up to speed on relationship dynamics within the group and what the future might hold for them. Uzumma enjoys a snack while surveying the view from above. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Spring is in the air for the gorillas! Whether it’s seeing Vip lying in the sun, Akenji tearing apart the barberry in order to get to their blooms, or Uzumma enjoying the view from the highest perches of the climbing structures in her habitat, it is clear that we’re all enjoying the warmer te

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications with Amanda Dukart, Animal Keeper We have a host of amazing staff, including animal keepers. Our Keeper Spotlight series aims to highlight their work and their passion for saving species as well as getting our readers an insider view of what it might be like to work at Woodland Park Zoo. Hello! My name is Amanda and I work as an animal keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. I currently work with tree kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies, emus, kea, kookaburra, masked lapwing, wonga pigeons, blue-faced honeyeaters. But in the past I’ve worked with everything from big cats to primates, grizzly bears to reptiles! Today I am going to show you around my day-to-day a bit and how I work with our tree kangaroos. Amanda poses with a snack of fresh veggies for the tree kangaroos. This is their indoor space, behind the scenes. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology and then started my animal keeping experience at Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton, North Dako

Posted by Peter Zahler, Vice President of Conservation Initiatives Mount Rainier peeks across the treetops. Photo by John Westrock via Flickr. I am one of the roughly 10,000 people who moved to the Seattle area in 2018. Like most of those ten thousand-plus, I was drawn by the unique quality of life found here — the combination of a burgeoning economy bringing unparalleled opportunity, and the extraordinary bounty of nature found within easy reach of even city dwellers. Seattle sunset. Photo by Maciek Lulko via Flickr. What I was astonished to discover is that the incredible spread of nature’s palette across Washington was much greater than I first realized. Just within western Washington it includes the huge sweep of the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, rising to snow-capped peaks and covered in thick forests of giant conifers and a moss-wrapped elfin understory; and the expansive salt waters and coastal wetlands of Puget Sound and the fresh waters of Lake Washingt

 Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Hey soon-to-be-mama, Olivia! Photo by Jeremy Dywer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo. Our very pregnant giraffe, Olivia, has been put on 24-hour birth watch after showing signs late last week of approaching labor. The birth window began mid-March and extends until the end of April. “We’re definitely seeing signs of Olivia nearing labor—we think she’ll give birth any day now,” says Katie Ahl, a lead animal keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “She’s more restless, there are noticeable changes in her udder, and she’s extending her tail and spreading her rear legs frequently. In addition, she and Dave are showing more affectionate behavior toward one another, a telltale sign of hormonal changes occurring in the expectant mom.” A pregnant Oliva, right, next to sister Tufani, left. Photo by Jeremy Dywer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo. The zoo’s animal care staff are monitoring Olivia closely at the zoo and several times throughout the night via ba

Posted by Tany Holzworth, Learning and Innovation Woodland Park Zoo saves wildlife and inspires everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives. The ways people take action for conservation range from dropping their “Quarters for Conservation” into our voting kiosks — to helping establish Papua New Guinea’s first conservation area with our Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program . One of the many ways the zoo invites our community to take conservation action is through our robust volunteer program.  Volunteers are at the heart of our mission. Zoo volunteers donate over 90,000 hours annually and share a diverse and talented skill set. Our volunteers embody “making conservation a priority.” Each year during National Volunteer Week (April 7 – 13) we celebrate the vibrant community of volunteers that supports Woodland Park Zoo! Every year, Woodland Park Zoo volunteers invite new ambassadors into the zoo community and coach them into the invaluable resource you enco