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 Oak Tree Park in South Tacoma their home. On a sunny March afternoon, the acorns from the old Garry Oak trees have also caught the […]
Volunteer Profile: Brittney Polly, Wildlife Champions Assistant
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 South Tacoma neighborhood park for hands-on learning. “Miss Brittney, can you help me with my jacket?” one child asked. “Me, too,” others chimed in. Miss […]
Puget Sound: Let’s win the City Nature Challenge
Calling all nature lovers: the challenge is on! How many species can you spot and record? The annual global City Nature Challenge returns April 26-April 29 and asks everyone to become a scientist for an hour, a day, however long they have. And there’s no experience necessary. Download the free iNaturalist app or access it on your […]
Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater show, Bugs Alive! program returns May 4
TACOMA, Wash.– It stars a wizard, a zookeeper, and a brilliant dog. There are broomsticks and potions. It’s the animal show at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater – and it probably sounds very familiar to Harry Potter fans. But “Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them” isn’t about magic. It’s about how keepers care for animals […]
Animals Report to Spring Training
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 for their popular summer show, “Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them.” The show returns May 4 and runs daily at 11:30 a.m. Beginning […]
Polar Bear Exams
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 keepers could examine the sisters under anesthesia since they first arrived in June 2023. The bears were anesthetized in their behind-the-scenes bedrooms and then carefully […]
Sea Otter Moea Receives Health Exam
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 Dr. Kadie Anderson checked Moea’s eyes and nose, listened to her heart and lungs and examined her body. Sea otters are vital for the health […]
Spring Break Staycation
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will be open daily beginning April 1, just in time for Spring Breaks across the region. Of course, animals like the tigers, red wolves, hammerhead sharks and harbor seals can be seen, but there’s so much more to do at the zoo, too. Take a look at our top activities […]
Sea Turtle in Bronze
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 won’t ever grow old or weaken. The life-sized bronze sea turtle sculpture is a lasting tribute to its human donors and all sea turtle species. […]