Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to a bird as endearing as Blueberry the hornbill. Known to some as Blue for short, she was an especially flirtatious bird who had the uncanny ability to brighten days and produce smiles. Everyone who met Blue agreed, she brought an air of auspiciousness and her love of life was only matched by her love of blueberries. Thank you for being our very special hornbill, we will miss you. Sweetest Blueberry. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Blueberry, our female knobbed hornbill, passed away due to chronic advanced liver disease and other age-related concerns. Blueberry was 22 years old and was considered a geriatric bird. Blueberry hatched in May 1997 at Woodland Park Zoo and was named after her favorite treat, blueberries! The statuesque bird lived in the zoo’s Conservation Aviary where visitors could see her and learn about hornbills. In 2015, she transitioned to becoming an ambassador animal

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Uzumma gave birth to a baby boy in the wee hours of March 4 and we’re happy to report that mama and baby both appear healthy and are doing well. Uzumma holding her 4-day-old baby in her arms. Here are some of the first pictures we’ve been able to get since the birth—and you can see the heartwarming bond that’s developing between Uzumma and her newborn, who is not yet named. This baby is the first between 12-year-old Uzumma and 20-year-old Kwame. This is also Uzumma's first time as a mom and so far she is rocking it! Our dedicated gorilla keepers, who know them best, tell us that Uzumma is a wonderful first-time mother. They say she’s gaining more confidence each day and tending to all her baby’s needs. She’s very attentive—just like her mother Amanda was with her—and hasn’t put the baby down once. As for the tiny gorilla, he is bright-eyed and seems to be observing

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Flashback to last year: Mama Valkyrie is surrounded by her four pups, Tucker, Nooksack, Piper and Tahu. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo We’re coming up on a milestone for our four youngest North American River otters. Almost one year ago, on March 16th 2019, our resident female, Valkyrie, gave birth to her very first litter of pups—two males and two females. Tucker, Nooksack, Piper and Tahu are nearly full grown now and almost ready for their next adventure. Happy birthday, baby! Throwback to one year ago when the N. American River otter pups had their first wellness exam. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo  In nature, young North American river otters might stay with their mother for up to a year while learning to swim, dive and hunt for fish. So it’s no surprise that by 10 months, boys Tucker and Nooksack were ready to separate from mom. Soon, these youngsters will be moving on to other accredited

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications It's a boy! We joyfully announce the birth of a western lowland gorilla. First-time mom, Uzumma, gave birth to a boy today, March 4 at 2:48 a.m. VIDEO: Just a few hours after birth, first-time mom Uzumma and her baby are bonding and staying cozy indoors. Here, you can see Uzumma snacking on some greens while the baby stays warm and safe on her belly. Uzumma has settled into a quiet, hay-filled gorilla tunnel, her favorite sleeping spot, a walkway in between her indoor bedrooms. This baby is the first between 12-year-old Uzumma and 20-year-old Kwame, who moved from Smithsonian’s National Zoo in 2018. Uzumma snacking on some greens in February 2020. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo. This newborn marks the 14th gorilla birth at Woodland Park Zoo. The last birth was Yola, a female born in November 2015. The new mom and her baby are off view in the cozy, sleeping dens so they can bond in a hushed, comfortabl

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Western lowland gorilla Uzumma is nearing the end of her pregnancy. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo We're excited to announce that the birth watch for our pregnant western lowland gorilla, Uzumma, has started. The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months , similar to humans, and the due date for our mom-to-be is between March 8 and March 20. During the overnight birth watch, zoo volunteers will be able to watch Uzumma from cameras in her behind-the-scenes bedroom. They'll also be able to collect data and look for any telltale signs of labor—and a gorilla keeper is on call each night to respond if that happens.  Uzumma sits and watches as Kwame, the soon-to-be-born baby's father, walks past. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo This birth will be the first for 12-year-old Uzumma. The expectant father is 20-year-old Kwame, who came to Woodland Park Zoo in 2018 from Smithsonian’s Nat

Woodland Park Zoo is committed to sustainability and continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. Currently, over 80% of waste at the zoo is diverted from landfills each year and our goal is to achieve 90% diversion from landfill by 2022. The purpose of a waste audit is to measure our current waste and increase compost and recycling diversion while simultaneously reducing/eliminating contamination. The last zoo-wide waste audit was conducted in 2013, which occurred before the roll-out of public tri-sorting stations and before Seattle’s food packaging ordinances were implemented. To understand how to help keep more waste out of landfills, the zoo’s Green Team organized a zoo-wide waste audit in 2019 to assess our waste streams. The waste audit was possible through the sponsorship of  Waste Management  and  Cedar Grove  as well as the zoo staff and volunteers who sorted through 95 bags of garbage, recycling, and compost! Meghan Sawyer, a member of the public relations team

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Our sweetest Chinta. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Our sweet Chinta passed away peacefully this morning, just one day shy of her 52nd birthday. She was the oldest animal currently living at Woodland Park Zoo and one of the oldest orangutans in North America. We will miss her presence immensely.  The red-haired beauty was the last remaining animal born at Woodland Park Zoo in the 1960s who had lived at the zoo her entire lifetime. Chinta and her late twin brother Towan were born here in February 1968. Towan passed away in 2016. Chinta and Towan, twin orangutans born at Woodland Park Zoo in 1968. Worldwide, the twin orangutans gained instant celebrity status as the first-known twin orangutans born in a zoo. Photos of the pair as infants appeared around the globe, including in “Life” magazine. While other twins have since been born, twin orangutan births are a rare occurrence. Chinta, who was easily recognizabl