Beep. Beep. Beep. The heart monitor and other monitoring devices hum as veterinary professionals work in rhythm caring for their VIPs — very important patients, that is. On the exam table in the veterinary clinic lies Terra, who is under anesthesia. The 8-year-old American Red Wolf has inflammatory bowel disease or IBD, a disease that’s […]
Climate Change and Polar Bears: Lessons from the Arctic Tundra
Our massive, 14-foot-tall buggy (which felt more like a tank) traversed the rocky, lichen-laden tundra late into the arctic afternoon. Suddenly, a wild polar bear peeked over the willow branches, climbing onto a nearby boulder to stretch its long neck and gaze toward a short-eared owl gliding along the horizon in Churchill, Manitoba. This was […]
Periwinkle’s Journey: A Penguin’s Tale of Resilience
Periwinkle, a young Magellanic penguin, made his debut today at the zoo’s Penguin Point after overcoming a challenging start in life. The five-month-old penguin recently underwent a second surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right leg. While Periwinkle will wear a special boot for stabilization for the next few weeks, his determination to thrive […]
Spooky Aquariums
Get ready for some Halloween fun! We’re featuring spooky (and not-so-scary) species from our Pacific Seas Aquarium and Tropical Reef Aquarium. Keep an eye out for these amazing fish and invertebrates on your next visit to the zoo! Skeleton Shrimp (Caprella mendax): These amphipods cling to various substrates, waiting to catch plankton drifting through the water, […]
Thank You, Vet Techs
For Veterinary Technician Week (Oct. 13-19), we’re celebrating the zoo’s three fantastic full-time vet techs! The vet techs assist the zoo’s three veterinarians in every aspect of animal health care: “Our veterinary technicians, Julie, Sara, and Bianca, perform a vast array of duties, and the veterinary hospital could not function without them,” said Head Veterinarian […]
Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo Oct. 19-20
TACOMA, Wash.— Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s beloved Zoo Boo weekend returns on October 19‐20, bringing festive fall fun for the whole family. Enjoy watching animals throughout the zoo munch on pumpkins, and dive into a weekend packed with games, arts, and crafts. Highlights include: Kids can indulge in candy and treats, and the Kids’ […]
“Inside Look” at Animals’ Skeletons
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 give us an “inside” look at a few of the Zoo’s animals and their not-so-spooky skeletons. The veterinarians regularly take radiographs or X-rays of the […]
Zoolights Returns to Illuminate Tacoma for the Holidays Nov. 29-Jan. 5
TACOMA, Wash. — The beloved Zoolights event at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is back and brighter than ever! The dedicated Zoolights crew is busy preparing for Pierce County’s largest and most enchanting holiday celebration, and timed online tickets are now available. From November 29 to January 5, this annual holiday spectacular will light up the zoo with over […]
Bringing Awareness to Sea Otters
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 to celebrate and inspire deeper awareness of these marine mammals. Now protected, sea otters are still at significant risk from oil spills, parasites that reach […]