Round up your loved ones and celebrate Valentine’s Day at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and sister zoo Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Feb. 10-11. Watch as animals big and small enjoy unique Valentine’s enrichments, like ice or whipped cream in the shape of a heart.
Love at the Zoo
There’s plenty of love at the zoo: sibling love between lar gibbon brothers Orion and Aries and sister goats Sugar and Spice, and attraction between the muskoxen breeding pair Charlotte and Hudson. And, of course, there’s the love and care the entire zoo staff holds in their hearts for every one of the animals at the zoo.
Heart Scavenger Hunt: Learn why we love animals at Love at the Zoo. Participate in a Valentine-themed scavenger hunt and keep your eyes peeled for the 12 giant hearts hidden around the zoo. Find each heart and follow a QR code to discover fun facts about 12 animals.
Will Zoo Be Mine? Guests are invited to create Valentines for zoo staff or their favorite animals. They can bring paper Valentines from home or make one at our Valentine station in the plaza. Drop them off in the Valentine’s mailbox!
Animal Enrichments: Learn how keepers create enrichments for animals, and then watch the animals receive heart-themed enrichment through the weekend. See the enrichment schedule below:
- 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: California sheephead Buddy will receive a heart-shaped enrichment in the Kelp Forest in the Pacific Seas Aquarium
- 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: A Sumatran tiger will receive a heart-shaped enrichment.
- 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: Muskoxen will enjoy heart-shaped watermelon.
- 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: Polar bears will receive fishy valentines.
- Noon Saturday and Sunday: Close encounters with animals at Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater, plus meet superstar dog Rocket in a tuxedo!
- 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Watch marine mammals enjoy special valentines.
- 12:45 pm. Saturday and Sunday: Watch clouded leopards enjoy meat-jello hearts.
- 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: See Suki the elephant enjoy watermelon and bamboo heart treats.
- 1:30 p.m. Sunday: Attend a Northwest Waters Dive Talk.
- 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: Learn why it’s essential for Red Wolves to breed as a critically endangered species.
Love at the Zoo is Feb. 10 and Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free with admission to the zoo. For more information, click here.
Wild Valentine’s Weekend
Similarly, join native Northwest animals at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park for Wild Valentine’s Weekend on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guests are invited to take part in an interactive scavenger hunt and watch animals enjoy Valentine-themed enrichments. See the enrichment schedule below:
- Wolverines: Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
- Bobcats: Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
- Badgers: Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
- Gray Wolves: Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Kids ‘n’ Critters Weekends: During February, two kids 12 and under are free, with each paid adult general admission each weekend at Northwest Trek. The discount is available only on tickets purchased at the ticket window. It does not apply to Wild Drives or Keeper Adventure Tours.
For more information, click here.
