IT’S A GIRL! MUSKOX CALF BORN AT POINT DEFIANCE ZOO & AQUARIUM Charlotte the muskox gave birth to a female calf Thursday morning at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The … Continued
animals
Penguin chick Regina passed her “swimming lessons” and can now be seen in Penguin Point with the rest of the Magellanic penguin colony. The two-month-old chick, raised by parents Orange … Continued
As a powerful heat wave hits the greater Tacoma area with temperatures in the 90s, keepers at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma are finding ways to keep the … Continued
If the tiger is the king of the jungle, then the anoa would be the gardener. They’re not iconic like an elephant or acrobatic like a siamang. They don’t star … Continued
So fetch! We can’t wait for you to meet penguin chick Regina – named after Regina George from the movie Mean Girls. The growing penguin chick currently lives behind the … Continued
What’s that sound? It’s the tapirs together again, sharing a habitat in the Asian Forest Sanctuary. Yuna (female) and Baku (male) know each other by smell and sound, but usually … Continued
Sharks, sharks, sharks! It’s Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, which means it’s time to celebrate sharks’ critical role in our marine food webs and ocean health. The Pacific Seas Aquarium is … Continued
With black iridescent plumage and remarkable intellect, Ari is a beautiful bird that came to us from our friends Portland Audubon. Ravens have a wide variety of vocalizations and are … Continued
Ever wondered what it’s like to run a finger over the back of a prickly pink sea star? Or hold a tiny crab in the palm of your hand? Find … Continued
Astra’s large round paws are very busy, kneading a big blue barrel that’s full of water. It looks like she is making biscuits. She pushes down with all her might … Continued
The New Crawlers with Curls What has eight legs and never has a bad hair day? Our new curlyhair tarantulas! Six spiders have joined the pack at Kids’ Zone and … Continued
Astra and Laerke, two polar bear cubs who have captivated much of the country since their births two years ago at the Detroit Zoo, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & … Continued
Nearly 800 observers took part in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish and any place in between. From April … Continued
The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, announced today that two polar bear cubs, Astra and Laerke, will move to Point Defiance Zoo in spring … Continued
The bright-yellow school bus door opened, and the happy squeals and chatter couldn’t be contained. On this sunny spring morning, more than 200 students from Tacoma’s Lister Elementary School were … Continued
Collaborations with our community are an incredible opportunity to create meaningful connections. Tacoma students at Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and School of Industrial Design, … Continued
Each year Tacoma students from the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) participate in a day of service with Point Defiance Zoo. In previous years, students have helped shovel sand in … Continued
Volunteers are an essential part of our community at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, donating their valuable time, passion and expertise to the Zoo. In honor of National Volunteer Week, … 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
Rescued turkey vulture Ruby V has arrived at her new home at Point Defiance Zoo! She is joining our Animal Ambassadors team at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theatre. Animal Ambassadors … Continued
Remy the Siamang is making his debut! Remy, a six-year-old siamang born at the Los Angeles Zoo, will be a companion for Dudlee, our female Siamang. Dudlee lost her long-term … Continued
Written by Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson Nutmeg, our 16-year-old female beaver and mother to Butternut, recently visited the Zoo vet for her annual physical exam. During the exam, Associate Veterinarian … Continued
Clouded leopard Orchid recently received her routine wellness exam, which included x-rays, an ultrasound, dental cleaning, vaccination boosters and blood and urine collection for testing. Orchid lives with her brother, … Continued
There’s a new tiger in town! An 11-year-old male Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv (pronounced sun-jeev) recently made his debut at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The 286-pound male tiger … 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
Lakina, our new female walrus, wears custom-made crowns to help protect her two tusks. Lakina did an excellent job holding still long enough for one of her crowns to be … 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
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
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
Inspired to give your own pet an enriching treat these holidays? “Enrichments are a big part of caring for an animal,” explains Sara Mattison, staff biologist at the Wild Wonders … Continued