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 […]
Enjoy Fall Festivities at Zoo Boo Oct. 14-15
TACOMA, Wash.—Happy Howl‐o‐ween! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s Zoo Boo weekend returns Oct. 14‐15. The annual fun, fall‐themed weekend is always a hoot among families. There will be plenty of ghostly games and arts and crafts. Make your own bat wings to wear, inspect teeth up close to identify the animal, go on a spooky […]
Help name Point Defiance Zoo’s new muskox calf
TACOMA, Wash.— 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, is now a week old and becoming more confident daily. “The young calf is rambunctious, curious, adventurous, and brave,” said assistant curator Shannon […]
It’s a girl. Muskox calf born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
TACOMA, Wash. — Charlotte the muskox gave birth to a female calf Thursday morning (Sept. 7, 2023) at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The day-old calf appears to be healthy, and in typical muskox fashion is beginning to wander around the zoo’s grassy Arctic Tundra habitat, sticking closely to mom. The zoo’s veterinary team did a […]