At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, it’s a big “howl yes!” for American red wolf conservation. The Tacoma zoo has been a national leader in bringing this critically endangered species back from the brink of extinction since the 1970s. And decades later, 2023 has been one of the most successful years in the zoo’s history […]
Point Defiance Zoo earns AZA accreditation
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium earned kudos and another five years of accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in September. The Tacoma zoo also won a significant achievement award in volunteer engagement for its volunteer dive program. “We know that Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is well-regarded by guests, who return again […]
The votes are in: Zoo guests name muskox calf “Willow”
TACOMA, Wash.—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 at the Tacoma zoo. Out of more than 11,200 votes, Willow was a clear winner with 43% of the vote, with runner-up names Aurora […]
Tufted Puffin Chicks Hatched
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 while their parents take turns bringing food. Eventually, they “fledge” or leave their burrows and join the other puffins in the habitat, and the parents […]
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 […]
Sister zoos win award for anti-wildlife trafficking display
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and other local partners recently won the 2023 Certificate of Excellence in Public Service from the Public Relations Society of America Puget Sound chapter for their anti-wildlife trafficking display at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Certificate of Excellence is awarded to an organization that advances the public […]
Celebrating Suki: The Queen of the Barn
TACOMA, Wash.– Suki, the Asian elephant, is famous around Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Guests are invited to join her birthday festivities as she celebrates her 59th birthday this weekend, Sept. 22-24. She’s a super-senior among Asian elephants and a superstar to everyone who cares for her. That rings particularly true for Elephant Manager Shannon […]
“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 […]
Zoo Bamboo
It’s one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. It’s used for buildings, dishes, musical instruments. It’s food for animals and people. And there are over 45 types at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. We’re talking bamboo, that leggy, elegant plant known for both lush garden vibes as well as gardener headaches if it gets […]