Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications March 3 is UN World Wildlife Day 2021 focused on “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.” With the mission of saving wildlife and making conservation a priority in everyone’s lives, Woodland Park Zoo joins in celebrating the central role of forests, the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally who rely on forests, and the value of these ecosystems for both wildlife and all of humanity. Gorillas under the forest canopy. Photo by I. Singono, Mondika  World Wildlife Day 2021 is particularly special for Woodland Park Zoo this year because it ushers in the 1st birthday of little Kitoko , a male western lowland gorilla born March 4 during the pandemic. “While the zoo was closed for nearly four months, we shared loads of photos of Kitoko—his milestones and tender moments—with our community and zoo family. He has touched the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of people during a tumultuous time and brought so much joy,

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications We have some wonderful news to share! Western lowland gorilla Nadiri and her new baby girl are now together bonding and the baby is thriving. The newborn is the second baby for Nadiri—who marks her own 25th birthday today—and the first between Nadiri and dad, 21-year-old Kwame. The newborn gorilla—the 15th gorilla born at our zoo—doesn't have a name yet, but that is coming soon. Nadiri's new daughter, at only a few days old. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Nadiri  gave birth to her second daughter two weeks ago,  on January 29th, but didn’t immediately pick her up to nurse or keep her warm. So shortly after birth, gorilla and veterinary staff stepped in to provide round-the-clock care for the baby including bottle feeding her human infant formula, keeping her warm and providing her with short visits with her mother. Nadiri holds her baby close to her and the two are now together 24/7. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo  “During the f

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo Hello sweetness! We're thrilled to welcome the newest member of our western lowland gorilla family. After an eight to nine month pregnancy , 24-year-old Nadiri gave birth at 10:25 a.m. on January 29, 2021! The newborn is the second baby for Nadiri, and the first between her and dad, 21-year-old Kwame.  Watch footage of the new baby:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m8MpNh0y4k&feature=youtu.be Shortly after birth, zoo gorilla and veterinary staff had to step in and place the baby under round-the-clock care in the gorilla building because Nadiri had not picked up her baby to nurse or keep her warm enough the first day. Staff are nourishing the baby by bottle feeding her human infant formula, keeping her warm and providing her with short visits with her mother; the baby is doing well. The first 72 hours of life are the most critical for a newborn gorilla. “We will continue to provide hands-

Posted by Meghan Sawyer, Communications Malayan tiger, Azul, is making herself right at home in her Banyan Wilds habitat. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo has a new queen of the jungle: 5-year-old Azul recently arrived in Seattle all the way from the Bronx Zoo in New York City and now she’s ready to meet all of you! The beautiful young Malayan tiger spent 30 days in standard quarantine under the watchful eye of Woodland Park Zoo’s veterinary care team and is now ready to roam through the zoo's naturalistic Banyan Wilds habitat. 5-year-old Azul was born at Bronx Zoo in New York City. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Azul was born at the Bronx Zoo on January 5, 2016, and had to be hand-raised in the days following her birth because her mother was not giving her proper care. That kind of upbringing means that Azul has an especially calm and mellow nature—she’s taken very well to her animal keepers here in her new home! Azul! Photo: Jeremy

Posted by Robert Long, Senior Conservation Scientist and Director, Living Northwest Program, Wildlife Conservation In a last-minute announcement, the Trump administration is proposing to eliminate protections for 3.4 million acres of critical habitat for the northern spotted owl across the Pacific Northwest and California. This decision, if enacted, could push this iconic Pacific Northwest species to extinction. Our forests are home to myriad species and natural communities, and essential to humans for things such as clean water, clean air and the very wilderness we treasure. Large blocks of connected, protected resilient forests are, indeed, the best insurance we have against massive losses of wildlife species and the effects of climate change. Photo of spotted owl by Frank D. Lospalluto/Flickr via Audubon. This decision is counter to the best available science. A very recent review by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service concluded that Northern spotted owls are in critical need of p

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Nadiri is in the final days of her second pregnancy. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo Once again, it’s an exciting time for our western lowland gorilla family as the birth watch begins for our next baby. We announced last October that 24-year-old Nadiri is pregnant with her second infant, and her official birth watch is now underway. Technically Nadiri’s due date falls between late January and early February, but without knowing exactly when she became pregnant it is hard to pinpoint a specific date. The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months which is similar to humans.  Nadiri is in the final days of her second pregnancy. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo The new baby will be the second for both Nadiri and 21-year-old Kwame, but their first together. Nadiri gave birth to Yola, who was sired by Vip, a little more than 5 years ago. Because Nadiri was partially human-raised as an infant and had no exper

Posted by Meghan Sawyer and Elizabeth Bacher, Communications Red-crested turaco chick at four weeks. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo As 2020 draws to a close, Woodland Park Zoo is celebrating an eggstrordinary hatching more than three decades in the making: say hello to the zoo’s red-crested turaco chick, hatched November 16—the first of its species to hatch at the zoo since 1984! The brooder temperature is carefully monitored for the red-crested turaco chick—shown shortly after hatching—to make sure it is comfortable and healthy. Photo: Stephanie Miller/Woodland Park Zoo Months ago, the zoo’s female red-crested turaco laid a couple of eggs. In the past, previous fertile eggs had failed to develop, so this time around our experienced animal care staff decided to incubate the eggs behind-the-scenes and hand-rear any chicks. Hand-rearing a requires precisely timed feedings throughout the day and into the evening, and careful monitoring of brooder temperatures to make sure