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Zoo News

animals

Jul 26, 2024

When Asian Forest Sanctuary Assistant Curator Erin gives a tiger keeper chat at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, she often tells the crowd, “There are more people at the Zoo … Continued

Jul 23, 2024

The 2024 Summer Olympics are starting this week, and our animals are joining in to show off their unique skills and talents. See who we think would win gold in … Continued

Jul 11, 2024

Sven, the Arctic fox, has returned to exploring his habitat in the Arctic Tundra area of the zoo, now accompanied by a new female companion! One-year-old Freya joined Point Defiance … Continued

Jul 10, 2024

The sea lion pup will remain behind the scenes for the next few weeks as she learns to swim and continues to bond with mom. She will join the other … Continued

Jun 28, 2024

The kinkajou found abandoned at a rest stop on June 23 in Yakima underwent a comprehensive wellness exam this week at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, where he is temporarily … Continued

Jun 26, 2024

 She’s thriving, growing, and exploring a kiddie pool behind the scenes. The California sea lion pup born June 6 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is getting closer to … Continued

Jun 20, 2024

Five new meerkats are now living in the Kids’ Zone area at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! The two females, Keeya and Naledi, and three males, Kayode, Chaka, and Mkhaya, … Continued

Jun 18, 2024

The sea lion pup will remain behind the scenes for the next few weeks as she learns to swim and continues to bond with mom. She will join the other … Continued

Jun 11, 2024

Penguin Point is chick-central!  Six penguin chicks successfully hatched in late May and are being closely monitored by their parents, keepers, and veterinary staff. They hatched to parents: Two … Continued

Jun 04, 2024

Nothing about the new conspiracy running wild at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is deceptive. A group of lemurs is called a conspiracy. A 4-year-old female black-and-white ruffed lemur named … Continued

May 09, 2024

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

Apr 30, 2024

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

Apr 24, 2024

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

Apr 04, 2024

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

Feb 22, 2024

It takes many tons of food to feed the more than 12,000 animals that live at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. For example, zoo staff prepare 133,000 pounds of seafood … Continued

Feb 12, 2024

February 29th is the hoppiest day of the year! Frogs, cats, lemurs, and more. We’re celebrating our leaping and jumping creatures this Leap Day. Tufted Puffins Spend a few minutes … Continued

Feb 05, 2024

Love is in the air at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! There’s no concrete way to measure an animal’s love, but many animals at the zoo are coupled up or … Continued

Dec 18, 2023

As another year ends, we reflect on the special moments Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium had the privilege of being a part of in 2023. We welcomed polar bear sisters … Continued

Dec 15, 2023

Her wingspan is 6.2 feet wide. From nose to tail, she’s 13 feet long. She’s noticeably more prominent than the three other female ocellated eagle rays in the Pacific Seas … Continued

Dec 05, 2023

The first full week of December every year is Walrus Awareness Week. In recognition of the holiday and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s two walruses, Balzak (pronounced bell’-zik) and Lakina, … Continued

Dec 05, 2023

We’re all feeling the cold right about now in the Pacific Northwest. But here at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, our animals have some pretty cool ways to deal with … Continued

Nov 20, 2023

Plenty of evidence suggests animals are incredibly intelligent: elephants have exceptional memories and demonstrate self-awareness, octopuses use their arms to solve puzzles, and insects, such as bees and ants, work … Continued

Nov 13, 2023

Polar bear twin sisters Astra and Laerke are celebrating their 3rd birthday at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium November 18-19. Since first arriving at the zoo in June, the pair … Continued

Oct 18, 2023

Willow, the fuzzy, spunky, six-week-old muskox calf, now lives in the large muskoxen habitat (babyproofed, of course!) with her mom, Charlotte. “She loves galloping around the grassy hillsides of the … Continued

Sep 26, 2023

Meet Willow, a fuzzy, two-week-old muskox calf at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Adoring fans voted online for her name, chosen from a slate of four names offered by keepers … Continued

Sep 22, 2023

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

Sep 21, 2023

Celebrate Suki’s 59th birthday at the zoo Sept. 22-24. Suki, the Asian elephant, is famous around Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Guests are invited to join her birthday festivities as … Continued

Sep 21, 2023

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to three endangered sea otters in the Rocky Shores habitat. Every year, Sea Otter Awareness Week takes place during the last full week of September … Continued

Sep 19, 2023

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

Sep 14, 2023

Voting is now open for our community to choose the name of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s newest baby animal- a female muskox calf. The calf, born to eight-year-old Charlotte, … Continued