Woodland Park Zoo Blog

 Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications and Susan Burchardt, Animal Keeper We'd like to introduce you to a few of Woodland Park Zoo’s own Superheroes. No capes needed here because these particular heroes are already expert fliers. We’ll take a closer look and examine some of their unique superpowers, investigate what threats they face in nature—their “Kryptonite” so to speak—and fill you in on how you can visit with them at Woodland Park Zoo or in some cases, see their cousins around the wild spaces of our Pacific Northwest! Read all about them, then take our raptor quiz and find out which Superhero you are most like!  Modoc, the handsome turkey vulture. Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Superhero: Modoc the Turkey vulture Superpower: Iron stomach! Vultures have strong stomachs that can neutralize all kinds of dangerous germs and bacteria—which helps minimize the spread of disease to other animals and to people. Kryptonite/Threats: Toxins in their (and our) environment. E

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Egyptian tortoises are critically endangered. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Every now and then, the world’s tiniest creatures show they have something big to teach us, if we’re willing to listen. Such is the case for the Egyptian tortoise. This critically endangered species, one of the world’s smallest tortoises, faces intense pressure in the wild. They’re native to the desert bordering the Mediterranean Sea and were once found in Libya, Egypt and Israel. Now, they’re isolated to small patches of territory in Libya and are considered extinct in the rest of their territory. Habitat destruction and human encroachment, including the illegal pet trade, are to blame. But there is hope, in the form of tiny hatchlings that weigh about as much as a couple nickels.  Woodland Park Zoo is proud to be a leader in the successful breeding and rearing of Egyptian tortoises. We work under the direction of the Species Survival Plan (known as t

Posted by Gigi Allianic, communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/ Woodland Park Zoo In May 2019, we proudly announced the birth of a little giraffe . This month, the giraffe darling of the community, Hasani, will reach another milestone: he’ll be leaving Seattle for a new home.  The last day to visit Hasani and show some love will be Sunday, October 18. Giraffe fans can also see the other members of the herd: Olivia and Dave, the parents of Hasani; and Tufani, the younger sister of Olivia.  Hasani will move to a new home in Merkel, Texas. It is a facility and breeding center that has been vetted by Woodland Park Zoo animal care experts, is affiliated with Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport, Minn. and is well-regarded by the AZA community. The center does not have a name because it is not open to the public, but the organization that owns it is licensed for animal welfare by the USDA. To learn more, see our editor’s note below. The 155-pound newborn was diagnosed just hours after

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Nadiri, a 24 year old western lowland gorilla, is expecting her second baby—a younger sibling for Yola. Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo Oh baby... we have some exciting news to share! Nadiri, the mom of little Yola, is eating for two once again! We are announcing today that Nadiri has safely completed the first trimester of pregnancy and is expecting her second baby in late January or February 2021. The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months, similar to humans. The new baby sister or brother for Yola, who turns 5 in November, will be the first offspring between 24-year-old Nadiri and 20-year-old Kwame. Kwame is also the father of Kitoko, a boy born earlier this year to female Uzumma, so Nadiri's new baby will be a younger sibling for him too! Kwame is the silverback of this gorilla family and the father of Nadiri's baby. This will be the second child for each of them at Woodland Park Zoo, and the first for them together

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications and Katie Remine, Field Conservation Can you spot the amphibian in the photo below? We'll give you some clues: it's native to the Pacific Northwest, grows to be about two inches long, is mostly nocturnal, loves the dampness of our area and is the official Washington State amphibian! This Pacific tree frog has perfect camouflage to blend with damp, wet forest leaves. Photo: Diana Koch/Woodland Park Zoo Amphibian Monitoring Volunteer Did you find the northern Pacific tree frog ? They are hard to spot when they aren't on the move, since they're perfectly adapted to blend into their (and our) PNW environment. This frog species can even morph to change color to match their environment depending on the season. Hello, little buddy! Photo: Diana Koch/Woodland Park Zoo Amphibian Monitoring Volunteer The presence of amphibians—such as frogs, toads, salamanders and newts—is an indication of a healthy ecosystem. They are

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications This summer we asked artists of all ages to put their most creative coloring skills to the test with a MyZoo baby tapir coloring contest. With nearly 100 entries, it was reaallllly hard to choose since every single entry was exploding with love for the #SeattleWatermelon and mom, Ulan. However, your Woodland Park Zoo staff have decided and here are the grand prize winners as well as honorable mentions... Grand Prize (Ages 2-6): Troy, age 5 Complete with a rainbow and excellent color choices as well as attention to detail, Troy you captured Sempurna's summertime vibes perfectly! Honorable mention for ages 2-6: Sophie, age 5 Claire, age 6 Vanessa, age 3 Grand Prize (Ages 7-12): Zoe, age 12 We loved the way Zoe treated the lush green background and her detailing in Ulan's eyes is so clever, congrats Zoe! Honorable mention for ages 7-12: Talia, age 7 The little feet! Avery, age 12 Those watermelon colors! Elsa, age 8 "I love you mom,&quo

Posted by Ryan Driscoll, Lead Learning Facilitator, Woodland Park Zoo Are you passionate about conservation? Do you want to learn more about environmental issues and take action? Are you looking for ways to engage with your community about subjects that matter? You should consider the Advanced Inquiry Program at Woodland Park Zoo. Miami University's Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) is an exciting web-based master’s degree program that includes experiential learning and field study offered at Woodland Park Zoo. As an advisor and facilitator of the program, I often get asked who this program is for and what types of projects students do. As we start recruitment for the 2021 cohort, I couldn’t think of a better way to highlight the diverse array of professions, interests, and projects that this program supports than to let some of our current students share some of their experiences. I hope you leave as inspired as I always am when working with students in this program! If you