The Tropical Reef Aquarium will reopen on June 14 after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. When guests walk back through the aquarium doors, they … Continued

The Tropical Reef Aquarium will reopen on June 14 after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. When guests walk back through the aquarium doors, they … Continued

Does the spring pollen have you in a sneezing fit? Does stepping outside make your eyes water? It turns out humans aren’t the only ones with allergies. Animals, too—even goats—get … Continued

The Tropical Reef Aquarium will reopen June 14, after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. When guests walk back through the aquarium doors, … Continued

RECORD NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, OBSERVATIONS, AND SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN 2024 SEATTLE-TACOMA CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Nearly 900 observers participated in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, … Continued

Plant lovers, you’ll want to check this out! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to over a dozen Nolina hibernica ‘La Siberica.’ Right now, guests can see five of … Continued

For more than three decades, the South Pacific Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has transported guests to warmer waters full of curious sharks, colorful coral, and rainbows of … Continued

We are five Red Wolves closer to recovering the iconic American species. Three males and two females were born in April at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s off-site breeding facility … Continued

The Tropical Reef Aquarium at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will reopen June 14, after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. The 15,000 … Continued

There are new kids on the block! Goat kids Kettle, Biscuit, Hopper, Crumpet, Daisy Mae, Rhubarb, and Thistle, named by their keepers, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium on … Continued

It’s that time of year again! Our Magellanic penguins have found their mates and are in the middle of nesting season. Earlier this month, keepers observed our penguin pairs snuggling … Continued

They have thick trunks and twisting branches, like winding pathways through time. Their acorns have fallen to the ground, easy pickings for the gray squirrels, birds, and deer that call … Continued

Second graders at Arlington Elementary School got decked out in matching blue coats. There were excited giggles and chatter as they prepared to leave their classroom and venture into their … Continued

If you thought Spring Training was over, guess again! It’s still underway at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The animals and keepers at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater are preparing … Continued

Polar bear twins Astra and Laerke, both 3-years-old, received wellness exams in March (on different days). The exams were the first time the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium veterinarians and … Continued

Moea, the 14-year-old sea otter, recently received her routine wellness exam. While under anesthesia, the rescued sea otter was weighed, x-rayed, and given a full dental exam and cleaning. Veterinarian … Continued

There’s a new sea turtle at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Like many sea turtles, it swims along the sandy ocean floor in a seagrass bed. But this sea turtle … Continued

When it’s wet and cold outside, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and meet amazing animals! Warm, Indoor Aquarium The Pacific Seas Aquarium is … Continued

There’s some extra excitement in the Rocky Shores seabird habitat at the zoo: Five tufted puffin chicks, known as pufflings, hatched recently! After pufflings hatch, they stay in a nest … Continued

Black cats, pumpkins, ghosts… skulls and skeletons. They’re all symbols of the Halloween season. We asked Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s veterinarians, Dr. Karen Wolf and Dr. Kadie Anderson, to … Continued

It’s that time of year again! Our Magellanic penguins have found their mates and are ready for nesting. In April, keepers observed our penguin pairs snuggling in their nests. It … Continued

Another year is in the books! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium provided a new home for many animals this year, including Damaraland mole rats and walruses Balzak and Lakina. The … Continued

They were born just weeks apart six years ago and have been closely bonded ever since. And now, the two young walruses have moved together from Aquarium du Québec to … Continued

Sightseeing Zoolights with Cameron McIntyre isn’t your standard experience. For one thing, we’re driving around the annual holiday lights display at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in a maintenance truck during daylight. The Zoo … Continued

“All right – who’s ready to go into the park and do some science?” “YEAH!!!!” The yell was impressive – but so was the quiet focus that followed as Ms. … Continued

Snakes! Armadillos! A kestrel! A few animals made their way (with keepers, of course!) to Tacoma Public Schools’ Lister Elementary in East Tacoma. The school was kicking off the first … Continued

Björn (pronounced bee-yorn), the sea lion, is definitely a fighter. The 11-year-old sea lion was rescued off the coast of southern California in December 2019 and brought to a rehabilitation … Continued

Cindy Roberts, a former staff biologist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, recently received the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Nico van Strien Leadership in Conservation Award. Cindy was … Continued

The Zoo is now home to eight new Damaraland mole rats. They join two other resident mole rats at Animal Avenue in Kids’ Zone. Funny-looking. Squirmy. Strange. Those are some … Continued

Early on this crisp fall morning, Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is quiet and still. A jogger glides by in the distance; a deer grazes peacefully. The parking lot is empty at Point Defiance … Continued