Woodland Park Zoo Blog

What to expect when expecting, with gorilla moms Olympia and Jamani

2026-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher. Communications

Editor’s Note: Big shout-outs of gratitude and appreciation to members of Woodland Park Zoo’s extraordinary, expert gorilla care team for answering all our questions, including Stephanie, Judy, Traci, Ashley and Tesh!

Jamani and Olympia are both expecting babies in May! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

We recently shared with you that two of Woodland Park Zoo’s gorillas are pregnant and due to give birth five days apart this spring! The pregnant gorillas are Olympia, due May 19, and Jamani, due May 24. The father-to-be for both babies is Nadaya. The gestation period for gorillas is nearly nine months—only about two weeks shy of human gestation.

This will be the second offspring for both pregnant gorillas. Before arriving at Woodland Park Zoo in 2022, Olympia, 29, and Jamani, 26, lived together at North Carolina Zoo. Each gave birth to a son just weeks apart in 2012 and successfully raised them together.

Flashback: Jamani and Olympia—seen here with their first babies Bomassa and Apollo back in 2012—gave birth within weeks of each other at North Carolina Zoo. Photo: Courtesy of North Carolina Zoo

For silverback leader Nadaya, who just celebrated his 25th birthday, the babies will be his first offspring! But is he ready for fatherhood? How are both Olympia’s and Jamani’s pregnancies coming along? And how is our animal care team preparing for all this gorilla excitement? We asked the team all your questions and we’re happy to share the answers with you in this DOUBLE edition of “What to Expect When Expecting a Baby Gorilla!”

WPZ: First things first—how are both expectant mamas doing? Since both Olympia and Jamani have experienced pregnancies before, is it possible they might recognize or remember what they’re feeling and associate it with an impending birth—or that they might even be aware of the other one’s pregnancy?

Gorilla Care Team: Both gorillas are doing really well! We have been asked this too—about whether they “know” they’re pregnant—but it is something we just will never know. It is possible Olympia and Jamani might recognize or feel these changes in their bodies and know what’s happening, but because we have no way to specifically ask that, there is just no way to be sure.

Beautiful Jamani! Photo: Beth Keplinger/Woodland Park Zoo

Their due dates are five days apart—May 19 for Olympia and May 24 for Jamani. How are those dates calculated and are they usually pretty accurate? Also has Woodland Park Zoo ever had two gorilla births so close together?

In the past we’ve had gorillas born several months apart, but not days. We wanted Olympia and Jamani to have babies close to the same age so they could grow up together, but for them to get pregnant within days of each other was very exciting! The birth windows for these females—the period of time before the due date when a normal birth could be expected—will begin about two weeks before the first due date—around May 5. We will keep a close eye on both of them!

As for how all these dates are calculated, adult female gorillas have an approximate 28-day menstrual cycle—just like humans—and we monitor those very carefully. We also keep track of their interest in mating. If a female is not interested, she can and will refuse any advances from the silverback. But if she is ovulating or in estrus she may be the one making the advances ... openly and strongly soliciting “attention” from her silverback.

All the female gorillas are trained to urinate into PVC pipes, so if they miss a menstrual cycle we can test their urine using the same kind of pregnancy tests humans use. The gestation period for western lowland gorillas is around 8.5 months. That means we can estimate a due date by counting out 8.5 months from that female’s last known menstrual cycle—or more precisely from the first day of breeding.

All the female gorillas are trained to urinate into PVC pipes, so if they miss a menstrual cycle we can test their urine using the same kind of pregnancy tests humans use. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo

We’ve learned through previous Q & As with your team that pregnant gorillas can experience so-called “morning sickness” similar to how humans do. Has either of our current mothers-to-be shown any behaviors that indicate they might be experiencing that?

We [the gorilla keepers] each see different things on different days—but the consensus is that both of them have probably experienced some mild morning sickness.

For Jamani, she was not as interested in eating her greens at dinner and would only eat her fruits and browse. In general, she just seemed more selective about what she would eat—but this was only for a few days during her first trimester. After that we haven’t really seen any signs that would indicate she wasn’t feeling well.

Olympia may be a little harder to gauge because she is a slower eater in general. Full meals are mostly offered behind the scenes, where we can make sure everyone gets what they need. But snacks are often tossed to each gorilla separately while they’re in their habitat—and snack time is where we saw the slight change with Olympia.

Before she was pregnant, Olympia would scoop up all her snacks (which could be something like a piece of fruit and yam) and move them out of reach before any other gorillas could claim them (we’re looking at YOU Nadaya). By carrying them away she could eat in peace and at her own pace, but early in her pregnancy, she started just slowly picking at her snacks and then moving away from them, as if she wasn’t interested. Then Nadaya, who simply couldn't resist the opportunity, would come and gather up any treats she wasn’t eating. So we adjusted and started offering Olympia her snacks more slowly, at a speed more suited to her appetite—leaving no leftovers for Nadaya to snatch.

Olympia (seen here) and Jamani are doing great, but both showed signs indicating they might have experienced some "morning sickness" or nausea early in their pregnancies. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Other than changes from possible nausea or pickiness, how do Jamani’s and Olympia’s diets change during pregnancy?

Their diets don’t change much during pregnancy, but they did start receiving a pre-natal vitamin instead of their regular multi-vitamin. After they give birth, their caloric needs will increase due to nursing so that’s when we would increase their diet.

We know that both of these gorillas are skilled and experienced mothers, but it’s been more than 10 years since they had their last babies. How do you help make sure they’re ready for parenting duties again?

Olympia and Jamani both take part in side-by-side maternal training sessions with us every day. For these sessions, we use two toy “babies” for them to practice with. One of them is a de-stuffed plush gorilla doll from the zoo store, and the other is a piece of fuzzy material that actually looks nothing like a gorilla at all—but it works just fine for training.

Photo: Judy Sievert/Woodland Park Zoo

For these sessions, we ask Olympia and Jamani to “get their baby” and bring it to a bottle that a keeper is holding at a mesh barrier. We’ll move the bottle to different locations and both of them are rewarded with treats whenever they bring their “baby” to the bottle and/or hold it there. This not only reinforces the request to “get your baby,” but will be very helpful in the event that supplemental feedings or any medications are necessary for any reason.

An amusing thing happened during one of these sessions a few weeks ago. Jamani seems to really like the doll that looks more like a gorilla to the point that she is hesitant to give it back to us at the end of the sessions. We typically give that “baby” to Olympia—in part because she is less likely to be distracted with it—but on this particular morning we gave it to Jamani. Sure enough, at the end of the session she decided to keep it and carried it outside into the publicly-facing habitat. We suspected we would start getting questions and comments about the “baby” from staff and curious guests—and we were right! Then Jamani took it a step further—she put the plush gorilla doll onto her back and walked around with it. This is a common way for mother gorillas to carry their babies, and it made us all smile.

Jamani decided to keep her practice plush toy "baby" and carry it around all day and overnight! Photo: Craig Newberry/Woodland Park Zoo

The fact that Jamani likes this “baby” so much is just a unique characteristic of hers. Olympia couldn’t care less about it. We think Jamani knows it’s just a toy, but there’s obviously something about it that makes her want to hold on to it. What that might be—the feel, shape, size, color or even hormones from her pregnancy—we don’t know. But she seems to be getting some kind of contentment or emotional nourishment from it.

Anyway, she kept that toy with her all day and overnight—only giving it up the next morning when we traded her a WHOLE banana for it. Half a banana was a no-go, and even with the offer of a whole one (which is a special treat) she still had to think about it for a while before she decided to accept the trade!

These babies will be Nadaya's first offspring. We think he is going to be a wonderful father! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

What are your expectations for Nadaya as a father? These babies will be his first, but he has had some experience with youngsters, hasn’t he?

Yes, Nadaya lived with other infants when he was with his natal group (the group he was born into), but hasn’t sired any of his own babies until now—and he is the perfect age for first time fatherhood! At 25, Nadaya can control his behavior and hold back from being too rough when needed. Although younger males are physically capable of fathering an infant, most lack the maturity and self-control needed to attain “silverback” status where they can lead their own group of females. That’s why young adult male gorillas, both in the wild and in accredited zoos around the world, often live in bachelor groups for several years. These groups offer companionship, protection and the kind of learning opportunities for social development that male gorillas will need to be able to eventually lead their own group.

With only several weeks left to go, what are some signs you will be looking for as Olympia and Jamani both enter their birth window(s)?

There are many behaviors that can signal the onset of labor—things like constant nest building, frequently readjusting their body positions and acting restless like they can’t get comfortable. We may also see a disruption to their regular sleep pattern, unusual shaking in their arms or hands, increased urination, any signs of vaginal discharge, touching and tasting their genitals, straining and bearing down and lying prone more often than usual. Those behaviors can signal that a birth is imminent.

Is the plan to separate Jamani or Olympia from the rest of the group for the birth or in the delicate hours right after—or is that completely up to them?

Being alone is not natural for a female gorilla. In the wild they always stay with their silverback and group and that holds true in human care as well. They need to be with the group when they give birth so unless something happens which requires us to separate them, we keep the whole troop together during a birth. Gorillas always feel much more secure with their group around them and separating mom out could cause her more stress.

If we had youngsters in this group, like Kitoko and Zuna (members of the other gorilla family group living at Woodland Park Zoo) who can get a little rambunctious, we may have to distract or move the kids for short periods of time right after the baby is born—but since these will be the first offspring for this group, we don’t anticipate having to separate anyone.

In the first hours after birth, the gorilla care team will be looking for the new mothers to hold their babies close to them—demonstrated here by Uzumma holding newborn Kitoko back in 2020. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

What are the first things you’ll hope to see after the birth? And what important milestones will you be looking for?

We watch mothers with new infants around the clock for the first 72 hours to make sure all is well with their health and behavior. We want to see new moms holding their babies close. Infants can’t thermoregulate (maintain an optimal body temperature) so holding them close is critical. We monitor bouts of nursing—both how often they nurse as well as how long. We will be monitoring the new mothers for any signs of continued contractions or discomfort following birth. If that is the case, our veterinary team may suggest short-term pain medications to help.

For the first few weeks, most of the milestones we look for will have to do with the health of the babies. Those nursing “knobs” on either side of their mouths can tell us whether they have a healthy suckle. Seeing urination, the passing of meconium, and the mustardy colored newborn stools, or the milk stools, will confirm nursing and the transfer of the mother’s antibodies to her baby. We want to see that the babies are nursing regularly, are strong and are thriving those first few weeks.

As the babies become more aware, we might see them tracking objects by turning their little heads. We will want to see when each infant can hang on to their mother by themselves—or more precisely, since infants are born with pretty good grip strength—we will see that the mother is more trusting of her baby's strength. Then she will feel more comfortable letting the baby support itself, without her having to hold it as she moves.

It will be so much fun to see when the babies are able to focus on each other. Baby gorillas are attracted to looking at and reaching for each other, just like human children are.

Is it true that it can take a little bit of time to even see the sex of the baby?

Yes, this is true. When moms hold their new babies closely they will often have their hand cradling their bottom, making it hard to see. But eventually mom will turn her baby around so we will be able to tell soon enough.

Get ready for fatherhood, Nadaya! There are bound to be some epic play sessions in your future! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

What will Nadaya’s role be once the babies arrive? Might Jamani or Olympia “allow” Nadaya to get close to them and their babies in the first days and weeks after birth?

The silverback is very important to a gorilla mother and her infant. They may keep a bit of distance at first—gauging the comfort level of the new mom—but they will be watchful and will opportunistically touch or smell the infant if the female is ok with it. They are usually good about knowing what is ok and the females will walk away or keep their distance if they don’t want the interaction. But some new mothers might even seek out the silverback because she feels safer next to him. Either way, a silverback’s main job will be to keep the peace in the troop and keep rough-housing to a minimum.

As they grow, you will likely see youngsters playing around and climbing up onto their fathers. Silverbacks are very tolerant of their babies. Gorillas have evolved to love and care for their offspring so their genes can be carried on in the population. We think Nadaya is going to be a wonderful father!

What about Jumoke, the older female in Nadaya’s group? Are there any concerns as to how she will react to having babies in the group?

Jumoke will be 41 in May. Her babies are all grown up and on their own. It will be interesting to see how she reacts to having new babies in her group. Gorilla adults usually think babies are cute and like to watch their antics just like we humans do. It is going to be fun to see how Jumoke behaves—whether she will be curious about them or not—but either way, we don’t have any concerns about her in the group.

Jamani (on the left) with Olympia snoozing beside her. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

What can our guests who love visiting the gorillas expect to see? If mamas and babies seem healthy and are doing well, might they be visible right away—or does this depend on the comfort level of each mother?

Hopefully with the babies due in May, the weather will be good which will allow us to let them on exhibit soon after birth (within a few days). This is also dependent on how moms are doing as well. But if everything is going well and the weather is warm, guests will be able to see them pretty quickly.

What kind of play behaviors will mothers typically engage in with their babies?

Initially there will just be a lot of touch tasting, smelling and close inspections through every inch of their babies. We may see a lot of gentle bouncing and patting on the backs of their babies. It is very comforting and soothing for both mother and baby.

It’s fun to watch a baby gorilla respond to their mother’s handling of them. They are ticklish and will start to do a gorilla version of a laugh when they are only a few weeks old. Some moms will tickle their baby with their fingers or toes. Some will mock-bite their babies to tickle them too. We have seen them do many of the same kinds of things humans do with their babies—like mama lying on her back with her legs up, balancing baby on her feet while she holds baby’s hands, giving them an “airplane ride”. When the baby is a little older and more coordinated, mothers may gently wrestle with their babies too.

As soon as baby gorillas are old enough to play, their urges to chase each other and wrestle will be irresistible! This demonstration of shenanigans is provided by Kitoko and Zuna, youngsters from Woodland Park Zoo's other gorilla family group! Photo: Annie Kwan/Woodland Park Zoo

At what age will youngsters begin to wander from mom and/or interact with each other?

Depending on the mom’s comfort level, babies can start exploring near their mothers as early as 2.5 - 3 months old, but it might depend on how close the mothers sit to each other. Jamani and Olympia have had a close relationship for many years and they raised their first babies together. So they may sit right next to each other earlier than they would if they weren’t close. If this is the case, the babies may reach out to each other sooner than 2 months while their moms are holding them. It will depend on how protective each mom feels they must be. Once the babies want to start moving around it will be hard to stop them and their urges to chase each other will be irresistible! We often see moms holding onto a hand or a foot, trying to keep their youngster from moving too far away.

In the months (and years) that follow, we expect there will be plenty of epic play sessions with lots of chasing, tumbling, climbing and wrestling. It is going to be so much fun to watch! We can’t wait to see it, and we can’t wait for all our visitors to see it too!

You can help protect gorillas and gorilla habitat by recycling old cell phones and handheld devices at one of the zoo's ECO-CELL collection bins. Photo: Elizabeth Bacher/Woodland Park Zoo

How You Can Help Gorillas
A portion of every visit and membership to Woodland Park Zoo supports saving wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and around the world, including protecting western lowland gorillas. Recycle old cell phones and other used handheld electronics through ECO-CELL to help preserve gorilla habitat. ZooParent adoptions help the zoo provide exceptional care for its gorillas and all its amazing animals.

Carson the red panda moves into his new digs in Forest Trailhead, opening May 1

2026-04-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications

Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Beloved red panda, Carson, is exploring his new habitat!

The treetops are alive! First, a tree kangaroo, and now a red panda is exploring the soon-to-open Forest Trailhead. The 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds are dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026. Zoo members will receive early access during member preview days April 28–30, 2026.

Carson, an 11-year-old male red panda who boasts an impressive fan base of his own, is the latest mammal to be introduced to the new habitats in Forest Trailhead. In addition to a red panda, the all-new, interactive and multi-sensory exhibit will be home to tree kangaroos, kea—alpine parrots native to New Zealand—and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish species.

According to Woodland Park Zoo animal keeper Megan Blandford, Carson is adjusting well in Forest Trailhead’s new Glenn H. Kawasaki Foundation Habitat. “After getting acquainted with the off-view den, Carson ventured into the outside habitat, smelling every perch and scent-marking everything within sight,” said Blandford. “His favorite spot has been lying in the tunnel between the den and habitat with his head sticking out, much like a dog sticking his head out a dog door getting the lay of the land. Although at times he’s a bit hesitant about his new environment, he’s doing well. As always, his appetite has been great, a strong indicator he’s comfortable and content!”

Introducing an animal to a new environment calls for an all-encompassing introduction strategy. Whether an animal is introduced to a brand new or an existing habitat, it is a methodical process that must be managed carefully for the well-being and safety of the animal, explained Dr. Luis Neves, Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo. “We take introductions at a slow pace as the animal acclimates to their new home. The animal’s individual personality, coupled with the species’ inherent natural behaviors such as climbing, swimming, jumping or brachiating, are taken into consideration,” said Neves. “We continue to closely monitor Carson and tree kangaroo Rocket as the animals continue to settle into their novel surroundings.” Over the coming weeks, more animals will be introduced to Forest Trailhead habitats leading up to the grand opening on May 1.

The new Forest Trailhead, which borders the zoo’s West Plaza entry, was designed to immerse guests in the wildlife and habitats of the world’s forests, home to the greatest diversity of wildlife on land, and offer a hopeful view on the future of forests and the people and animals who depend on them. Guests will begin the journey along a sky-high canopy path winding through the treetops and experience a whole new view of the zoo from the perspective of treetop-dwelling animals: Papua New Guinea’s Matschie’s tree kangaroos and Nepal’s red pandas.

The experience will share the empowering story of the Papua New Guinea communities that have been partnering with the zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) for 30 years to save one of the last intact cloud forests of the world. A flagship conservation program of Woodland Park Zoo, TKCP works with local communities in Papua New Guinea to save endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroos through education, health and livelihoods programming that benefits local communities.

A fully accessible path will lead guests to the mid-level of the building where they will encounter New Zealand’s kea—clever parrots with investigative minds and busy beaks. The lower level is a showcase of African, Asian, and Australasian tree-dwelling reptiles and colorful amphibians—including four-eyed turtle, Chinese crocodile lizard, Fiji banded iguana, blue-legged mantella—and fish species. Forest Trailhead paths leading back out to the forest through the landscape highlight the critical role of the forest floor in the health of the ecosystem.

LMN Architects and Sellen Construction were the design team and general contractor, respectively. Woodland Park Zoo is truly grateful to the donors and members of our community whose generous philanthropy made Forest Trailhead possible. The zoo thanks the nearly 7,800 donors whose confidence in the zoo's vision helped bring to life Forest Trailhead and its great promise to impact the future of forests.

About red pandas Although red pandas share part of their name with giant pandas and may look a little like raccoons, they belong to a family of their own: Ailuridae. Red pandas are found across the Himalayas in Nepal, India, and Bhutan, and in mountainous regions of northern Myanmar and southern China. They live in high-altitude forests that have bamboo understories, including in some places where they overlap with giant pandas. Sadly, red pandas are classified as endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with dogs and people.

Plant a tree for red pandas
Woodland Park Zoo partners with the Red Panda Network whose multi-prong approach aims to conserve this flagship species in Nepal while creating sustainable livelihoods for people who share red panda habitat. Additionally, now through April 15, Woodland Park Zoo will partner with Red Panda Network to plant one tree for red pandas in Nepal for each new or upgraded Family Passport membership purchased. Members will be among the first to visit Forest Trailhead with exclusive preview days. Become a member at www.zoo.org/membership.

Forest Trailhead will be free with zoo admission or membership. Use code: ZOOFUN for $10 off membership at zoo.org/membership and to get early access during the member preview days to see this incredible new home for red pandas!

Dave, one of Woodland Park Zoo's giraffes, to undergo hoof procedure.

2026-03-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications

Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

UPDATE 3/26/26 at 4pm: Thanks to our incredible Animal Health and Animal Care teams, Dave’s hoof procedure this morning went smoothly, and he was quickly back up on his feet. Dave received a silicone fill to address a hole in his right front hoof as well as a full giraffe pedicure from an expert farrier. Massive thanks to all the folks who helped plan and execute a smooth and successful procedure for the tallest giraffe on African Savanna—and thanks to you all for sending Dave such warm wishes!

Dave will be anesthetized as part of a procedure to look at his toe and hooves.

Woodland Park Zoo’s animal care staff have a very tall order to carry out as they team up in the giraffe barn today to perform a procedure on the zoo’s 18-foot tall, male giraffe, Dave, who has a penetrating hole in the bottom of his right front toe that is affecting the bone of that digit. The giraffe’s overgrown feet will also be trimmed.

Footcare is very important for a giraffe’s overall wellbeing. As a part of the advanced and evolving care for all its animals at the zoo, the giraffe care team follows a routine footcare program to keep the herd healthy overall, including training the giraffe to participate in their own hoof and medical care. However, Dave’s foot condition requires more significant treatment that can’t be done without anesthesia.

Footcare is very important for a giraffe’s overall wellbeing.

For today’s procedure, 13-year-old Dave will be fully anesthetized and lying on his side. “Because of the attentive daily care and observations by the giraffe keepers, we’re able to promptly diagnose his problem which allows us to medically intervene and treat the issue. Giraffe anesthesia presents risks, but we have significant experience within the animal health and animal care teams at Woodland Park Zoo and a solid plan for this procedure,” said veterinarian Dr. Tim Storms, Director of Animal Health at Woodland Park Zoo. This will mark the first time the 2,775-pound giraffe will be anesthetized.

Steve Foxworth, a farrier and founder of the Colorado-based Zoo Hoofstock Trim Program, will provide hands-on consulting and treatment of Dave’s foot condition. In addition to doing corrective hoof trimming, the organization provides training courses for zoo caretakers and veterinarians on proper hoof care and trimming techniques to provide the best care for their hoofed animals.

Dave is a much-loved member of Woodland Park Zoo's Savanna herd.

“Fortunately, our exhibits team has experience using advanced rigging systems to move massive mammals into position and will be prepared if it becomes necessary during this procedure,” added Storms. “While Dave is asleep, our giraffe keepers will administer neck and leg massage—and lots of TLC—throughout the procedure to help reduce muscular injury and soreness during his recovery.”

In addition to Dave, the zoo has two female giraffe in its herd: 19-year-old Olivia and her sister, 17-year-old Tufani. “As the only male giraffe at Woodland Park Zoo and father of the last two giraffe born at the zoo, Dave has earned a legion of dedicated fans of all ages. We hope our zoo family and community will join us in wishing our statuesque giraffe the best for this procedure,” said Martin Ramirez, Curator of Mammalogy at Woodland Park Zoo.

Giraffe sisters, Olivia and Tufani share the Savanna with Dave.

Giraffe Gems

Giraffe are the tallest land mammals on earth, ranging from 14 to 19 feet in height. Their legs alone are 6 feet tall!
These towering animals can run as fast as 35 miles per hour.
Giraffe spend most of their lives standing, even while sleeping or giving birth!
A giraffe’s spots are like fingerprints—each individual has its own pattern.

Giraffe are widespread across southern and eastern Africa, with smaller isolated populations in west and central Africa. Populations have decreased by about 30% in the past 35 years, with just 140,000 giraffe remaining across Africa due to habitat loss and fragmentation, droughts and poaching. Woodland Park Zoo supports the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Giraffe SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program which strives to raise awareness to ensure a future and conserve habitat for the animals.

Tree kangaroo tests the treetops of new exhibit: All-new Forest Trailhead opens May 1!

2026-03-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Hello, Rocket! Welcome to your new Forest Trailhead habitat!

What, a kangaroo in the trees? That’s right, there are indeed kangaroos that live in trees, and Rocket, a male Matschie’s tree kangaroo at Woodland Park Zoo, is living up to his species’ moniker and testing the treetops in the soon-to-open Forest Trailhead. The 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds is dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Rocket wasted no time exploring his new Forest Trailhead habitat. Look at those claws—perfect "tools" for climbing!

Rocket is the first mammal to be introduced to the new habitats in Forest Trailhead. The all-new, interactive and multi-sensory exhibit, which borders the zoo’s West Plaza entry, will be home to tree kangaroos, red pandas, kea—alpine parrots native to New Zealand—and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish species.

As the name implies, tree kangaroos are totally at ease in the trees! Rocket is a Matschie's tree roo—a species native to the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea.

Introducing an animal to a new environment calls for an all-encompassing introduction strategy. Whether an animal is introduced to a brand new or an existing habitat, it is a methodical process that must be managed carefully for the well-being and safety of the animal, explained Dr. Luis Neves, Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo. “We take introductions at a slow pace as the animal acclimates to their new home. The animal’s individual personality, coupled with the species’ inherent natural behaviors, such as climbing, swimming, jumping or brachiating, are taken into consideration,” said Neves. “Throughout the process as the animal is introduced to off-view areas and gradually the outdoor habitat, animal care staff closely monitor the animal as they explore every nook and cranny of their novel surroundings.”

This will mark the first time in a decade that guests will be able to see tree kangaroos at the zoo. These marsupials are arboreal and spend nearly their entire lives in trees, equipped with exceptional climbing and jumping skills.

The 12-year-old tree kangaroo was very curious as he explored his new digs. “Rocket climbed up high in the tree, then worked his way down to practice his climbing skills. This is the first time he’s navigating a large live tree, so he cautiously tested out many of the branches to see how they moved and whether they were sturdy enough for his weight,” said Beth Carlyle-Askew, a Lead Animal Keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “Rocket is still learning and sussing out his favorite spots, though we have a few guesses. So far, he prefers being outside on nice days and isn’t quite convinced about going out in the rain. We reminded him that tree kangaroos are from the cloud forest, where it rains most days!”

Over the coming weeks, other animals will be incrementally introduced to the new habitats leading up to the grand opening.

Colorful keas, the world's only Alpine forest parrot, will also call the Forest Trailhead, home!

The new Forest Trailhead will immerse guests in the wildlife and habitats of the world’s forests, home to the greatest diversity of wildlife on land, and offer a hopeful view on the future of forests and the people and animals who depend on them. Guests will begin the journey along a sky-high canopy path winding through the treetops and experience a whole new view of the zoo from the perspective of treetop-dwelling animals: Papua New Guinea’s Matschie’s tree kangaroos and Nepal’s red pandas. The experience will share the empowering story of the Papua New Guinea communities that have been partnering with the zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) for 30 years to save one of the last intact cloud forests of the world. A flagship conservation program of Woodland Park Zoo, TKCP works with local communities in Papua New Guinea to save endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroos through education, health and livelihoods programming that benefits local communities.

Red pandas, will have a brand new tree-filled habitat in the new Forest Trailhead.

A fully accessible path will lead guests down to the mid-level of the building where they will encounter New Zealand’s kea—clever parrots with investigative minds and busy beaks. The lower level is a showcase of African, Asian, and Australasian tree-dwelling reptiles and colorful amphibians—including four-eyed turtle, Chinese crocodile lizard, Fiji banded iguana, blue-legged mantella—and fish species. Forest Trailhead paths leading back out to the forest through the landscape highlight the critical role of the forest floor in the health of the ecosystem.

The 12,000-square-foot Forest Trailhead and its 1-acre grounds is dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation and will open to the community on Friday, May 1, 2026

LMN Architects and Sellen Construction were the design team and general contractor, respectively. Woodland Park Zoo is truly grateful to the members of our community whose generous philanthropy made Forest Trailhead possible. The zoo thanks the nearly 7,800 donors whose confidence in the zoo's vision helped bring Forest Trailhead and its great promise to impact the future of forests to life.

Woodland Park Zoo is truly grateful to the members of our community whose generous philanthropy made Forest Trailhead possible. The zoo thanks the nearly 7,800 donors whose confidence in the zoo's vision helped bring Forest Trailhead and its great promise to impact the future of forests to life.

Two pregnant gorillas due to give birth five days apart this spring! Babies will be the second for each expectant mom

2026-03-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications

Jamani (left) and Olympia (right) are both expecting babies this May! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo is proud to announce that two western lowland gorillas are expecting babies in May—and five days apart! The pregnant gorillas are Olympia, due May 19, and Jamani, due May 24. The father-to-be for both babies is Nadaya. The gestation period for gorillas is eight to nine months.

This will be the second offspring for both pregnant gorillas. Before arriving at Woodland Park Zoo in 2022, Olympia, 29, and Jamani, 26, lived together at North Carolina Zoo. Each gave birth to a son just weeks apart in 2012 and successfully raised them together.

Handsome silverback, Nadaya! These babies will mark his first foray into fatherhood—and we think he's going to be a great Dad! Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

For Nadaya, the silverback of the family group, the offspring will be his first. Adult male gorillas are known as silverbacks, which in the wild and in zoos play a critical role by providing stability, protecting, leading and maintaining peace in their family group. The silverback moved from Saint Louis Zoo, also in 2022.

Through a breeding recommendation by the Gorilla Species Survival Plan, the three western lowland gorillas were relocated to Woodland Park Zoo to form a family unit with Jumoke, an adult female who had been living alone after her male companion passed away. Today, the gorilla family represents a natural grouping of gorillas. Species Survival Plans are cooperative breeding programs across accredited zoos and aquariums to help ensure healthy, self-sustaining populations of threatened and endangered species.

26-year-old Jamani is an experienced mother. She and Olympia previously lived at North Carolina Zoo where they each gave birth to a son just weeks apart in 2012 and successfully raised them together. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

“A baby gorilla is exciting, but two babies will be so much fun for the gorilla care team and the community to watch them growing up together. Just like humans, gorillas also think their babies are cute. When a baby gorilla gets a little older, they become ticklish and have laughing vocalizations,” said Judy Sievert, a gorilla keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “There is nothing more enriching than having a baby in a family group—except for having two gorillas. We are all in for a real treat!”

“We’re so excited to welcome two new gorilla infants to this family group. Since Olympia and Jamani will be second-time moms and they raised their sons together, they are no strangers to raising babies around each other,” said Tesh Hunter, a gorilla keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. “We can’t wait to see Nadaya step into the father role as a first-time dad. Both pregnant gorillas are doing great, and we can’t wait to meet our newest troop members.”

Olympia is 29 years old and is an experienced mother. This will be her second baby, but her first with Nadaya as father. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo has long had a successful gorilla breeding program and prepares birth management plans for each pregnancy. Pre- and post-natal care will include regular veterinary check-ups, a diet created by a nutritionist and supplemental vitamins to help the gorillas maintain a healthy weight for a delivery without challenges.

All gorillas at the zoo have been trained to voluntarily participate in non-invasive exams and procedures, which requires building trust between the gorilla care team and each gorilla. Much like humans, female gorillas have an approximate 28-day menstrual cycle which the gorilla keepers closely track. The females have been trained to urinate into a PVC pipe, and the gorilla care team uses the same human home pregnancy test kit to determine a pregnancy.

Our female gorillas are trained to urinate into a PVC pipe. Then the gorilla keepers use home pregnancy tests—the same ones humans use—to confirm if a baby is on the way. Photo: Woodland Park Zoo

Although both gorillas are experienced in raising babies, the zoo is providing maternal skills training as a precaution, explained Arden Robert, Animal Care Manager of Primates at Woodland Park Zoo. “We need to be prepared for all scenarios, particularly if one of the moms doesn’t immediately provide appropriate maternal care. We’re training Jamani and Olympia to pick up a burlap baby doll and bring it to the keepers on cue. This will allow the team to offer supplemental feedings of human infant formula should it become necessary,” said Robert. “In addition to bonding and nursing, another solid maternal behavior includes holding the baby close to keep it warm.”

Nadaya, seen here as an infant in 2001, was an ADORABLE baby! We know his kids will be too and we can't wait to meet them! Photo: Courtesy of Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo currently cares for 11 western lowland gorillas living in two separate family groups. Group one: silverback (adult male gorilla) Kwame; adult females Nadiri, Akenji and Uzumma; juvenile females Yola and Zuna, daughters of Nadiri; and juvenile male, Kitoko, son of Kwame and Uzumma. Group two: silverback Nadaya; and adult females Jumoke, Olympia and Jamani.

You can help protect gorillas and gorilla habitat by recycling old cell phones and handheld devices at one of the zoo's ECO-CELL collection bins. Photo: Elizabeth Bacher/Woodland Park Zoo

How You Can Help Gorillas

A portion of every visit and membership to Woodland Park Zoo supports saving wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and around the world, including protecting western lowland gorillas. Recycle old cell phones and other used handheld electronics through ECO-CELL to help preserve gorilla habitat. ZooParent adoptions help the zoo provide exceptional care for its gorillas and all its amazing animals.

Forest Trailhead exhibit to open May 1, 2026!

2026-03-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications

Photo by Adam Hunter, LMN Architects

Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | Woodland Park Zoo

Through a treetop path, across a forest landscape, and inside an all-seasons pavilion, the all-new Forest Trailhead exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo will bring to life every animal’s and human being’s connection to forests. In honor of World Wildlife Day today, the zoo is proud to announce that the 12,000-square-foot building and 1-acre grounds dedicated to the global movement for forest conservation will open on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Forests are home to the greatest diversity of wildlife on land, enriching the planet with species that Earth can’t afford to lose. The interactive, multi-sensory exhibit will be home to tree kangaroos, red panda, kea parrots, and a variety of reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. LMN Architects and Sellen Construction were the design team and general contractor, respectively.

Bordering the zoo’s West Plaza entry, Forest Trailhead will immerse guests in the wildlife and habitats of the world’s forests and offer a hopeful view on the future of forests and the people and animals who depend on them.

Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | Woodland Park Zoo

Adam Hunter, LMN Architects

Guests will begin the journey along a sky-high canopy path winding through the treetops and experience a whole new view of the zoo from the perspective of treetop-dwelling animals: Papua New Guinea’s Matschie’s tree kangaroos—yes, there are kangaroos that live in trees!—and Nepal’s red panda. This will mark the first time in a decade that guests will be able to see tree kangaroos at the zoo. The experience will share the empowering story of the Papua New Guinea communities that have been partnering with the zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program for 30 years to save one of the last intact cloud forests of the world.

A fully accessible path will lead guests down to the mid-level of the building where they will encounter New Zealand’s keas—clever parrots with investigative minds and busy beaks. The lower level is a showcase of African, Asian and Australasian tree-dwelling reptiles and colorful amphibians—including four-eyed turtle, Chinese crocodile lizard, Fiji banded iguana, blue-legged mantella—and fish and invertebrates in mixed-species groups.

Forest Trailhead paths leading back out to the forest through the landscape highlight the critical role of the forest floor in the health of the ecosystem. Throughout the pavilion, open plazas offer interpretive information where animal keeper talks and special events can be hosted, and visitors are empowered to take direct action to help and be active members of the conservation community. Indigenous art and interpretation further enrich the visitor experience, honoring the cultural heritage of communities that are leading global conservation efforts.

Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | Woodland Park Zoo

“From the forest floor up to the treetop canopy, Forest Trailhead is a dynamic reminder that our lives—animals and people—are connected to forests every day. Forests are our lungs, our livelihoods, our happiness, our home. Forests provide food, medicine, beauty, serenity, resources and more. Forests enrich our lives, creating cleaner air, water and soil,” said Alejandro Grajal, Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO. “Through the immersive forest exhibit and experiences in the wildlife and plant habitats of these ecosystems, guests will discover how to make simple, everyday choices as a consumer and a community member to help forests thrive.”

Unlike anywhere else in the zoo’s 92-acre urban forest, Forest Trailhead is a space where naturalistic habitats combine with modern architecture and exposed systems that reveal the zoo’s often hidden work of caring for animals, habitats and people. “The urgency and scale of forest conservation that are needed today require active, hands-on management, and Forest Trailhead uniquely reveals and celebrates the caretaker’s role. It’s a place where we can show what we do as a zoo, amplify what communities are doing around the world and welcome our guests to be part of this movement,” said Katie Bang, Woodland Park Zoo Senior Director of Facilities & Built Environment.

Forest Trailhead is targeting LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building, habitats, and surroundings of Forest Trailhead embody the zoo’s commitment to sustainability and incorporate strategies to reduce embodied carbon, manage stormwater on site, and promote biophilic design, including bird-safe windows and solar panels.

The United Nations designated World Wildlife Day as a day to celebrate planet Earth, its wildlife, and the critical conservation work being done around the world to make sure ecosystems and plant and animal species are able to thrive for future generations.

Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren | Woodland Park Zoo

1-year-old sloth bear, Bowie, undergoes surgery and will be off view for several weeks while recovering

2026-02-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

1-year-old female sloth bear Bowie is behind the scenes for several weeks, recovering from surgery to repair a broken bone.

Bowie, a 1-year-old, female sloth bear at Woodland Park Zoo, is recovering from surgery to repair a fractured femur in her right thigh. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Duane Robinson and his surgical team joined the zoo’s animal health staff on Sunday to help the bear.

Bowie is recovering from surgery in the quiet, off-view den where the animal keepers can monitor her closely while she heals. She and her mom, Kushali, who continues to be with her daughter during recovery, will be off view for six to eight weeks.

Bowie and her attentive mom, Kushali, are together in a quiet behind the scenes den where our animal care staff can monitor her while she heals.

Fracture repair surgery is commonly known as open reduction and internal fixation. “Once the fracture was reduced with good alignment, bone plates and wires were installed to provide strength and ensure good healing. We’ll keep Bowie under close observation and on a prescribed program of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and analgesics,” said Dr. Tim Storms, veterinarian and Director of Animal Health at Woodland Park Zoo. “Bowie will have a follow-up appointment in several weeks to assess her healing process. Young bears are very resilient. I am hopeful that she will recover fully from her injury and have normal use of her leg.”

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Duane Robinson and his surgical team joined Dr. Tim Storms and Woodland Park Zoo's animal health staff on Sunday for the surgery.

A diagnostic radiographic procedure was done on Friday, which revealed the femoral fracture, immediately after keepers observed Bowie keeping her right leg off the ground. It’s unknown how she sustained the injury. “We checked footage from the closed-circuit camera in the den but were unable to determine any particular incident that may have caused the injury,” said Christine Verador, an Animal Care Manager at Woodland Park Zoo.

The expert veterinary team used special plates and wires to provide strength for Bowie's bone and to ensure good healing.

Bowie was born at Woodland Park Zoo to mom Kushali and dad Bhutan; they are the only sloth bears currently at the zoo. Bowie celebrated her first birthday last month and was named in honor of David Bowie, with whom she shares the same birthday, January 8. Zoo guests can encounter sloth bears in Banyan Wilds which is also home to Malayan tigers, Asian small-clawed otters and a tropical aviary.

Sloth bears live in forests and grasslands in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Their shaggy, dusty, black coats deflect sunlight, protecting them from the extremes of tropical heat. A vulnerable species, sloth bears’ survival is challenged by conflicts with humans and habitat loss and fragmentation.

Woodland Park Zoo partners with other zoos and conservation organizations in India and Sri Lanka to protect sloth bears and help communities coexist through the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Sloth Bear SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program.

Zoo’s farm transforms with Wild Encounters. Coming soon: Lorikeet Landing, Aldabra giant tortoises and more!

2026-02-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications

Lorikeets and lories are brilliantly colored parrots that primarily eat pollen and nectar. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Imagine ... a dazzling array of squawking lorikeets taking flight in search of nectar. Curious goats leaning in for a scratch. Aldabra giant tortoises walking slowly, steadily toward you. These unforgettable moments will come to life in Wild Encounters, where Woodland Park Zoo’s Family Farm will transform into a new and refreshed hub for up-close animal experiences for guests of all ages.

Phase one to open this summer.
Located at the site of the current Family Farm, Wild Encounters will be designed around the concept, where everyone cares like a keeper. The space will be reimagined to give guests of all ages hands-on and up-close experiences with animals and animal care activities.

“Our animal keepers are caretakers for wildlife, and everyone who feels a connection with animals can be inspired to care in their own ways too. Here we have an area that is great for making up-close connections but is outdated and in need of major upgrades,” said Dr. Luis Neves, Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo. “With a focus on refreshing the aging space with all new experiences and designing special programming, Wild Encounters will help children and families forge social and emotional connections with animals—important stepping stones to fostering empathy for all living things.”

Photo by Trevor McKinnon on Unsplash

Lorikeet Landing
Rainbows in flight! Coming this spring, the brand-new Lorikeet Landing paid experience will represent phase one of Wild Encounters and will be home to brilliantly colored lorikeets and lories, medium-sized arboreal parrots native to the Indo-Pacific region. Unique from other parrot species which eat mostly nuts and seeds, these colorful parrots have a brush-like tongue that enables them to dine on pollen and nectar. In the walk-through aviary, guests will have the opportunity to present a small cup of nectar for an up-close and memorable experience with these chattering parrots that are strictly arboreal. Other bird species that can peacefully coexist will also live in the aviary such as ground-dwelling pigeons and kookaburras.

Meet the new Aldabra tortoises! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Aldabra Giant Tortoises
Wild Encounters will introduce a first-time species to the zoo: Aldabra giant tortoises, one of the world's largest land tortoises! The new tortoises, both females, will make their new turf in Wild Encounters where the cold-blooded reptiles will have access to an indoor enclosure to warm up or cool down and an outdoor yard for basking and exercising with their thick, cylindrical sturdy legs these giant tortoises are known for. The new tortoises will be viewable starting in early 2026 once construction of their home is completed.

Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The pair of tortoises, 23-year-old Mary and 15-year-old Elise, were rescued and join Woodland Park Zoo thanks to longtime friends, Madeline and Geoff Haydon. “We learned there was a private facility looking for a new home for their Aldabra tortoises. These gentle giants, who once were hunted to near extinction and are a Vulnerable species, needed a suitable and knowledgeable new home that could commit to them for the rest of their long and lengthy lives,” said Madeline Haydon. “We were happy to facilitate this rescue and give them the opportunity to become ambassador animals for Woodland Park Zoo where they can encourage curiosity, compassion and respect for wildlife for all who may never get a chance to visit them in their native habitat of Aldabra Island in the Seychelles.”

The goats—a zoo favorite—will move to a different part of the Farm with better and more flexible indoor and outdoor spaces. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

More to Explore!
The free (no additional fee) animal experience, formerly known as the Contact Area, has long been a favorite spot where the tiniest and growing kids can get up close and personal with goats, sheep and other domestic farm animals. This experience will move to the former cow and donkey area adjacent to the north barn and will undergo major improvements to provide better and more flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for the animals. Guests will enjoy immersive experiences that give them the opportunity to care for and learn about the animals while also giving animals the choice and control to leave if they need a break. The zoo's existing and dynamic herd of goats will move into the new area first; in the future other new species may be added such as alpaca and non-domestic animals.

Phase two of Wild Encounters is scheduled to open in 2027. Currently, the zoo’s ambassador animals can be seen by the public during on-ground programming only and live in support areas that are not viewable to guests. The phase two renovation will bring the ambassador animals program center stage with flexible, viewable habitats to support a rotating cast of ambassador animals that will bring guests closer than ever to a variety of species. On any given day, guests may see different animals in these habitats; animal keepers will have a dedicated space to introduce guests to individual animals and share expertise on their diet, care and behavior. In this refreshed space, guests will learn how to practice caring behaviors for animals, both at the zoo and at home, helping to forge social and emotional connections and actions to support wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

Woodland Park Zoo aspires to complete fundraising for Wild Encounters by December 31, 2026. Charitable contributions to the project will help the zoo renovate aging facilities for optimal ambassador animal wellbeing and bring new, up-close empathy building experiences to the community in 2027. To learn more about supporting Wild Encounters, visit: give.zoo.org/wildencounters

Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife^®
Woodland Park Zoo is widely recognized as a leader in advancing empathy learnings and best practices within the zoo and aquarium community. At the heart of this effort is the Advancing Conservation through Empathy (ACE) for Wildlife™ Network, which began with 20 founding AZA-accredited partners in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. The Network has since expanded to 27 network partner organizations and has grown to include more than 1,000 participating professionals across five continents. Founded and led by Woodland Park Zoo, the ACE for Wildlife Network facilitates professional collaboration and catalyzes accredited zoos and aquariums’ capacities to share knowledge, experiences, and data to drive conservation action through fostering empathy for animals and the environment that sustains them.

A purr-fect new addition! Woodland Park Zoo celebrates the birth of African lions

2026-01-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications

Woodland Park Zoo is bursting with pride as it announces the birth of two South African lions—the first birth of lions at the zoo since 2014!

Scenes from the den cam where Ilanga is bonding with her cubs, Woodland Park Zoo.

The zoo’s animal health team did a quick health assessment of the cubs and determined both cubs are female.

The cubs were born Wednesday, January 14 to first-time parents, mom Ilanga and dad Tandie. Mom and cubs are currently living in the off-view maternity den where the new family can bond in comfortable, quiet surroundings. The father remains separated from the cubs and mother until the cubs are older.

Photo by animal keeper Matthew Cline, Woodland Park Zoo

According to Martin Ramirez, Curator of Mammalogy at Woodland Park Zoo, the average litter size for lions is two to three, so this is a typical litter. “As a first-time mother, Ilanga so far is doing a terrific job and is resting and bonding with the cubs. Our animal care staff will be monitoring both mom and cubs closely for signs of normal behavior and development over the next several weeks.”

Lion cubs typically weigh 2.2 to 3.5 pounds at birth. They are born blind and open their eyes within a week or two after birth. Zoo veterinarians will perform health check-ups every couple of weeks for weight monitoring, vaccinations, and critical blood and fecal sampling.

While all births of felines at the zoo are cause for excitement, the progeny for Ilanga and Tandie are particularly significant because they represent third generation lineage at Woodland Park Zoo. The father of Tandie was the late Xerxes who lived at the zoo until he passed away in 2022.

“We are very excited about the birth of these lions, especially since they are the grandchildren of Xerxes who fathered Tandie and two other males in 2014. It’s a big win for the Lion Species Survival Plan gene pool, and we’re looking forward to establishing a new pride here and celebrating this incredible legacy of lions at Woodland Park Zoo,” said Ramirez.

A peek from the den cam where Ilanga is resting with her cubs, Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo’s lions belong to the South African subspecies, Panthera leo krugeri. Known as the Transvaal lion, it ranges in Southern Sahara to South Africa, excluding the Congo rain forest belt, in grassy plains, savanna and open woodlands.

These lions range in weight from 260 to 400 pounds. African lions are considered vulnerable with as few as 23,000–39,000 estimated to remain in the wild and their future remains uncertain, particularly as the growth in human population continues to impact lion populations. There is legal hunting of lions and retaliation killing because they pose a threat to humans and livestock.

In partnership with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ African Lion SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, Woodland Park Zoo supports conservation organizations working with communities living with lions, with the goal of increasing the number of lions in the wild by reinforcing viable, connected landscapes and supporting tolerant communities coexisting with African lions. Every visit to the zoo helps support the project; you can also adopt a lion through the zoo’s ZooParent Adoption Program: www.zoo.org/zooparent/lion.

The mom and cubs will remain off public view until they are a bit older and demonstrate solid mobility skills. In addition, outdoor temperatures will need to be a minimum of 50 degrees once they are introduced outdoors.

A precious cub! Photo by animal keeper Matthew Cline. Woodland Park Zoo.

Acrobatic performances sparkle at WildLanterns

2025-12-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Posted by Jeana Chaffin, Events, with Tianyu

Every night during WildLanterns, Woodland Park Zoo's PACCAR Auditorium lights up with awe-inspiring acrobatic performances at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 pm. Audiences leave buzzing with whispers of “How did they do that?” thanks to four extraordinary Tianyu performers, who blend centuries-old traditions with modern showmanship!

Here’s a closer look at the artists and the incredible acts they bring to the stage.

Rolling Cylinder Acrobatics
Performed by Zhang Jianguo (张建国)

Imagine balancing on a metal cylinder… then stacking another on top… and another. Rolling Cylinder Acrobatics is a breathtaking blend of strength, control, and nerve. Perched atop swaying metal tubes, the performer moves through spins, jumps, and even handstands, all while maintaining perfect balance.

This act has deep roots in ancient Chinese court performances, dating as far back as the Han Dynasty. Over the centuries, traditional balancing skills evolved into today’s sleek, modern version, now recognized as one of the signature styles of Chinese acrobatics.

Performer Zhang Jianguo (张建国) who began training at age 11 has dedicated more than seven years to mastering this craft. A graduate of the Ningjin County Acrobatic Art School, Zhang has earned top honors in multiple acrobatic competitions and performs at nearly 500 cultural events each year. Their calm presence atop an ever-growing tower of cylinders is one of WildLanterns’ most jaw-dropping moments.

Foot Juggling
Performed by Wei Meimei (魏美美)

Foot Juggling is an astonishing display of dexterity and finesse that focuses on intricate footwork techniques. Lying on a specially designed platform, the performer uses only their feet to manipulate props with exceptional dexterity and precision.

With origins stretching back over 2,000 years, foot-based performance skills have evolved alongside martial arts, opera, and dance. Today, Foot Juggling is one of the most recognizable elements of Chinese acrobatics.

Our Foot Juggling artist, Wei Meimei (魏美美), is a graduate of Ningjin County Acrobatic Arts School with more than 22 years of professional acrobatic performance experience. They have performed around the world, including a five-year engagement in South Korea. Their award-winning artistry blends technical mastery with fluid, expressive movement that keeps audiences transfixed.

Ball Juggling
Performed by Gai Peng (盖澎)

Ball Juggling is mesmerizing in its simplicity, but it requires extraordinary coordination and control. Performers create patterns that seem to float effortlessly through the air, shifting rhythm and tempo in ways that feel almost musical.

The art of juggling in China dates back to the "throwing pellets" games of the pre-Qin era (before 221 BCE), with similar acts documented in Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) brick carvings. Modern Chinese juggling fuses ancient traditions with Western techniques to create a uniquely dynamic art form.

Gai Peng (盖澎), with over 12 years of professional experience, has earned multiple first-place awards in prestigious Shandong Acrobatics and Magic Competitions. Their performances in China and abroad — including cultural programs in Saudi Arabia — showcase a style that is both technically brilliant and joyfully expressive.

Giant Hoop Dance
Performed by Zhang Zerui (张泽锐)

The Giant Hoop Dance merges dance, acrobatics, and visual storytelling into one hypnotic performance. Using a large metal hoop, the artist spins, rolls, and lifts the prop as if it’s an extension of their own body, a seamless blend of power, grace, and momentum.

This act is a more recent innovation, emerging in the late 20th century as Chinese circus arts began incorporating modern dance and theatrical elements. Today, it stands as a stunning example of how traditional acrobatics continue to evolve.

Performer Zhang Zerui (张泽锐) has over six years of experience in the acrobatics industry and a rapidly growing list of accolades, including awards at the Shandong Acrobatics and Magic Competition.

Participating in nearly a hundred cultural events each year, they bring creativity, athleticism, and fresh energy to this captivating art form.

Make sure you leave time during your WildLanterns visit to check out one of these awesome performances, located at PACCAR Auditorium (the large, cozy building at South Gate—just follow the glowing signs)! Book your WildLanterns experience now: zoo.org/wildlanterns

From lizards to lions—one of the newest members of our Animal Health team shares what it takes to become a zoo vet!

2025-12-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

December 9th is International Day of Veterinary Medicine—a day to honor the hard work of all veterinary professionals for the health and well-being of animals. From infancy through geriatric and comfort care, we have an amazing team of veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants and animal keepers who all contribute to ensuring the animals in our care have everything they need to live their best lives.

To mark the day, we spoke to one of the newer members of Woodland Park Zoo's Animal Health Team, Associate Veterinarian Dr. Laura St Clair, to find out more about her journey to working in veterinary medicine.

Dr. St Clair always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian!

Hi Dr. St Clair. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. When did you know that you wanted to be a veterinarian ... and what do you think was the motivation for that choice?

I have known I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was about 3, or so my parents tell me. I have always loved animals and I wanted to help them. As I grew older, I learned that being a veterinarian was about helping people too.

I first knew I wanted to be a zoo veterinarian when I was about 8 years old. I was on a trip with my family in Alaska and saw a wild caribou and just knew I wanted to work with all species of animals.

Did you grow up with animals?

My first pet was a hamster. She was feisty and did not love cuddles, but I loved her.

I was about 6 years old when we brought home our family dog. She was a beagle and just the very best dog. She lived to be 17 years old and she taught me so much. I was so lucky to have her. I hope to have and love many dogs in my life, but she will always hold an extremely special place in my heart.

Where did you go to school and are there special veterinary school programs for people who want to work with the kinds of animals we have at Woodland Park Zoo?

I got my undergraduate degree in zoology from Colorado State University and then went to veterinary school at Cornell University. For my undergraduate education I looked for schools with programs that would support people interested in going to veterinary school. Colorado State had a pre-veterinary advisor and extra support for students that wanted to be veterinarians. This was very helpful for me as most veterinary schools require you to take certain classes and have a wide variety of experiences in order to apply. Once in veterinary school I sought out opportunities to work with zoo animals in human care and with wildlife. Different veterinary schools have different strengths and there are some that have more exotic, zoo, and wildlife medicine opportunities than others, so that was an important consideration for me.

Working with the animals we have at WPZ generally requires additional special training within and after veterinary school. Whenever possible while in school, I took zoological medicine classes that were offered and joined our zoo and wildlife medicine clubs and organizations. After veterinary school I also continued additional training with a specially focused 1-year internship and 3-year residency. While veterinary school is largely designed to focus on domestic animal species (mostly dogs, cats, horses, cows, sheep/goats, and pigs) these additional years of training after I was already a veterinarian were completely focused on the medicine of exotic, wildlife and zoological animal species.

While I took a relatively direct path with an internship and residency, this is not the only pathway to becoming a zoo veterinarian. Usually, a year or two of additional specialty training is recommended or may be required, but many people then enter this field and develop experience on the job (which I still do every day). I have found most people in the field of zoo and wildlife medicine want to help each other and finding supportive mentors is a large key to success.

From lizards to lions—Dr. St Clair helps our Animal Health team look out for all the animals in our care!

How long have you been part of our Veterinary Team at Woodland Park Zoo? You’re from the Northwest, correct? What’s it like to be back “home”?

I joined the veterinary team here in May of 2025—so not too long ago! I am from Boise, Idaho originally and my family is now all in the Pacific Northwest. It feels amazing to be back. I love everything about this area, the mountains, the ocean, and yes including the rain, and I have always wanted to move back here. Having the opportunity to be here, close to family, and also be a part of this amazing team has been incredible.

What was one of the very first cases you worked on here at Woodland Park Zoo? Tell us about it.

One of the first cases I worked on here was Babs, our female saki monkey. An abscess developed on her chin that was associated with an infection of one of her front teeth. We put her under anesthesia for an examination due to our suspicion and diagnosed the tooth infection with dental x-rays. I surgically removed the affected front tooth and she did great afterwards. Throughout the whole process she continued to eat well and took all of her medications; she was a wonderful patient.

Do you have a favorite species or animal at Woodland Park Zoo? Tell us about that.

I love so many of the different species we have here. However, if I had to pick, one of my favorites would have to be the mountain goats! They are a pretty unique species to have in zoos and they are really amazing animals. It has been really special to get to work with them.

What is a normal day at Woodland Park Zoo like for you? Or is there such a thing?

One of the things I love about this job is that no two days are exactly the same. We work with different animals every day and that poses unique situations and challenges all the time. One thing I always know for sure is to expect the unexpected. However, we do try to have a general flow to the day. We meet every morning as a team (veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and hospital animal keepers) to discuss the plan for the day. Then we generally have our bigger procedures scheduled in the morning; this might include anesthetized examinations or in-hand exams or rechecks. In the afternoon we may have a few more rechecks, but also a lot of meetings with many people throughout the zoo. And, of course, there are always many medical records to write, emails to send and paperwork that needs to be done.

What is something cool that people probably don’t know about being a zoo veterinarian that you’d like them to know?

One of the first questions I usually get asked is which animals I work with at the zoo. And the answer is all of them! We treat everything from bugs and spiders in Bug World to birds and reptiles, and all the way to giraffe, rhino and gorillas. As a zoo veterinarian here at WPZ my job is to oversee the medical care for all of our animals.

What advice would you give to a high school student who thinks they might want to become a veterinarian?

Stay determined, try not to let yourself get too overwhelmed, and don’t be afraid to lean on your support system, whoever this may be (friends, family, teachers, school counselors or other supportive people in your life). For high schoolers my biggest recommendation would be to talk to a veterinarian if you can, learn more about what it is like to be a vet. If you can, start volunteering occasionally at an animal shelter or spending time at a veterinarian's office. Get an idea for what it could be like to do this job in the future. That being said, don’t get too hung up on worrying about vet school just yet. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself and engage in your extracurricular activities. While school and grades certainly aren’t everything, once you are in college they do matter for your vet school application, so don’t forget about them. Once you get to junior and senior year of high school and are thinking about college applications, do a little research about whether colleges you are interested in offer pre-vet or pre-med programs or have additional support (like a guidance counselor) for people interested in these professions. This can be a really helpful resource as these people can help make sure you are taking the right classes and have the things you need to build a strong application for veterinary school. Vet school and being a veterinarian is hard, so don’t forget about your hobbies and the things that bring you joy, even if you have a little less time for them.

Do you have any pets at home?

Yes, I currently have one dog, a beagle-mix. She is a sweet and cuddly girl who just loves people. I also have a rabbit, he is around 8 pounds, so a pretty big guy. He is very feisty and I would say he has strong opinions.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love getting outside in my spare time and my husband and I love to hike. I am really enjoying exploring our new home and spending time with friends and family. For those rainy and cold days, I do love a crafty activity. My favorite is crocheting.

Final question: We always like to know what the animals’ favorite snacks are, so we’ll ask YOU the same question! What is one snack that really helps you get through your day?

This is a tough question for me because I love snacks. Mid-morning I usually have a granola bar to get me through to lunch. Other snacks I love are cheese, some fruit and yogurt. And a sweet treat doesn’t hurt either!

Thank you, Dr. St Clair!

And a BIG THANK YOU to all members of our veterinary care team for ALL they do to help our animals—the furry, the feathered, the scaly and everything in between—live their best lives!

Make sure to let the veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants in your pet's life know that you appreciate what they do!

Massage, acupressure and laser therapy ... oh my!

2025-12-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications

Editor’s note: Big thanks and appreciation to Woodland Park Zoo Veterinary Technicians Barb Brush and Leah Miyamoto for sharing the important work they do!

Woodland Park Zoo’s mission to inspire conservation and save wildlife begins, in part, with the health and wellness of all the species and individual animals that call our zoo home. Providing top notch veterinary care is more than just diagnosing illness and treating injuries. It also includes promoting wellness and providing treatment options and preventative health care so that all our animals—from a newborn gorilla to a geriatric penguin—have the opportunity to thrive!

A physical rehabilitation program can include laser and massage. A blue laser light helps fight infection and a red laser, seen here on 25-year-old Humboldt penguin Pupito, promotes tissue healing. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

For nearly two decades, a dedicated team of our skilled veterinary technicians has been providing various types of physical therapy for rehabilitation and maintenance to a wide variety of mammals, birds and reptiles at Woodland Park Zoo. This includes massage, acupressure and several different modalities of laser therapy including PEMF—which is short for Pulsed Electromagnetic Field. It uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate cellular repair and regeneration at a deep, systemic level.

During the treatment, veterinary technician Leah provides gentle pats to a very relaxed Pupito! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

These treatment options can provide pain relief and promote healing from ailments ranging from sprains and strains to age-related stiffness and soreness which can cause both discomfort and decreased range of motion. These sessions are completely voluntary on the part of the animals. They are meant to be comfortable and can even be enjoyable, with some individuals “leaning in” for extra attention, scratches, pats and/or treats from their caregivers. That means our animals can choose to take part in their own healthcare without the need for restraints, anesthesia or stress.

Skilled veterinary technicians, like Barb and Leah, have standing physical therapy appointments—with treatments like cold laser therapy, massage, PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) and/or acupressure depending on the patient’s needs that day. The animals in this story include goats Snowberry and Samson and penguins Pupito and Radar.

Senior Veterinary Technician Barb, offers laser therapy and some massage to kinder goat, Samson, while he enjoys a snack from the hands of Woodland Park Zoo Animal Keeper, Nick. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The red laser promotes tissue healing. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

How Laser Therapy Works

Stimulates Cells: Light waves penetrate skin and tissues, activating cells to promote healing.
Reduces Inflammation: Helps decrease inflammation in muscles and joints.
Increases Circulation: Improves blood flow to affected areas.
Promotes Healing: Accelerates the repair of wounds and damaged tissues.

The Tools of the Trade

Photo: Elizabeth Bacher/Woodland Park Zoo

PEMF—which is short for Pulsed Electromagnetic Field—is a modality used in addition to laser therapy and sometimes on its own. It helps "attract" certain cells involved in the healing process. Photo: Elizabeth Bacher/Woodland Park Zoo

Benefits of Laser Therapy

Pain Relief: Especially effective for arthritis and joint pain in older animals.
Faster Healing: Speeds up recovery from wounds and surgical sites.
Improved Mobility: Helps animals with chronic conditions move more comfortably.
Non-invasive: A gentle and comforting treatment, often performed with cooperative training.

In the days after physical therapy, animal keepers will report back to Animal Health staff with their observations—often positive news that their patients seem to be feeling better and moving with more ease. It’s a win-win for everyone!

How a visit to WildLanterns might make you a local conservation hero!

2025-12-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Posted by Katie Remine, Wildlife Conservation

A lantern that's easy to spot!

Spotted lanternfly WildLantern!

As you stroll the beautiful and luminous wonderland of WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo this year, keep your eyes peeled for the colorful spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) between the zoo’s 1899 Grove and Tropical Rain Forest. Enjoy the stunning beauty of these insects, native to subtropical regions of southeast Asia including eastern China, in the form of larger-than-life glowing lanterns!

After your WildLanterns experience, we encourage you to keep your eyes peeled for these beautiful insects around Washington and the Pacific northwest (though the real ones are much smaller, about an inch long!) even though they are not native to our region. If you should see one anywhere in Washington or the Pacific northwest, take a photo and report it!

Photo of spotted lanternfly by Tom Field via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/589172682

These insects, a true bug in the group of insects called planthoppers, use their piercing mouthparts to pierce and suck sap from plants. They were first detected in the US on the East Coast in 2014 and have expanded to 20 US states. As of late 2025, they are still only in the northeastern US, but are showing a westward expansion. They can cause damage and harm to plants including grape vines, hop vines, apple trees and stone fruit trees by sucking their sap and by promoting the growth of mold on the sweet “honeydew” they excrete onto plant surfaces.

Public awareness is our greatest tool to prevent the spread of this potentially economically damaging insect to our region. If an infestation were to occur, it’s likely that extensive pesticide applications would be necessary to control it – to protect our native insects, including pollinators, we’d be wise to avoid that. Early detection is key – so if you see a spotted lanternfly in the Pacific northwest, take photos, note the location and report it! You’ll know it’s a spotted lanternfly by the way they hold their wings like a tent over their back and by the spots on the wings – black spots on the brown forewings and a distinct red and black spot pattern on the hindwings, just like the ones at WildLanterns only much smaller! You can find reporting forms at the links below. The Washington Invasive Species Council also has an app you can download and use to report observations of invasive species in our state.

Photo of spotted lantern fly by Benjamin Burgunder via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/590542841

Report a lanternfly sighting

Report a sighting online to the Washington State Department of Agriculture

Or email pest@agr.wa.gov or call 1-800-443-6684
More information on spotted lanternflies from the Washington State Department of Agriculture:
https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/spotted-lanternfly

Report a sighting online to the Washington Invasive Species Council

More information on spotted lanternflies from the Washington Invasive Species Council:
https://invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorityspecies/spotted-lanternfly/

Photo of spotted lanternflies by Martyn Drabik-Hamshare via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/588744277

Fun fact: Did you know that in common names of insects, a space between two names can have a very specific meaning? If an insect is truly (taxonomically) in the group its common name implies, then the words have a space in between. For example, “house fly” is a species of fly (Musca domestica, a species in the taxonomic order Diptera, which are flies). Spotted lanternfly, however, is a species of planthopper (Order Hemiptera, these are technically the insects that can be called “bugs”!) and not taxonomically a fly, thus the words “lantern” and “fly” have no space in between in their common name.

Thank you for visiting WildLanterns and joining Woodland Park Zoo in efforts to conserve our local wildlife and habitats!

Behind-the-Scenes on the set of Wild Kingdom with Carnivore Conservation Specialist Paula MacKay

2025-11-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Posted by Paula MacKay, Living Northwest Conservation

Photos by Paula MacKay

As a child growing up in Boston, most of my wildlife sightings comprised gray squirrels and American robins—maybe the occasional urban raccoon. But on Sunday nights, a silver-haired zoologist named Marlin Perkins came into my family’s living room and transported me to a much bigger world of animals, where close encounters with species I’d never even heard of ignited my imagination and helped seed my future in carnivore conservation. That little girl in yellow feet pajamas, who sat mesmerized watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom while her animal-loving mom knit mittens and hats, could never have dreamed that one day she’d be featured on the program. And the wildlife she’d be studying? Wolverines!

Photo by Mutual of Omaha

Fast forward five decades, and I found myself on a flight to Billings, Montana, where my husband (WPZ’s Dr. Robert Long) and I were to be filmed for a future episode of the show’s new iteration, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. At ZooMontana, we would meet up with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, whose intrepid path to becoming the iconic co-host is a story of hope and inspiration (check out Dr. Rae’s memoir, Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World). Robert, Dr. Rae, and I would spend several hours engaging with a tenacious trio of wolverines: Ahmari, Sid, and Enda, ZooMontana’s ambassadors for wild wolverine populations like the one Robert and I monitor in the North Cascades.

Could somebody pinch me, please?!

Our goal for that chilly December day was to observe how wolverines would respond to a synthetic scent lure we’d shipped to the zoo in advance. Traditional scent lures, which we pair with remote cameras to entice wildlife to visit, are sourced from animals by the trapping industry. After a futile search for a more humane alternative, Robert and I contracted a team of innovators to create a synthetic concoction that mimics the traditional lure’s scent profile, much like the approach taken by the perfume industry. On a whim, while the TV cameras were rolling, I blurted out to Dr. Rae and Robert that we should name our stinky new perfume, “Let’s Get Wild!”

Photo of a wolverine by ZooMontana

So, what’s it like to have three amped-up wolverines sniffing around at your feet as they explore a novel scent in their zoo environment? And how did their response to “Let’s Get Wild” compare with that to the traditional lure? Tune into Wild Kingdom on Saturday morning, November 29, to see for yourself!

Paula MacKay, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and Dr. Robert Long

One scene you probably won’t see on the show is my introduction to Fierca. This friendly Canada lynx, once an ill-advised pet, was surrendered to ZooMontana and now serves as an ambassador for her wild kin. Lynx are another rare carnivore Robert and I monitor in the Cascades—and like wolverines, they are highly threatened by climate change. As I entered Fierca’s enclosure, she sauntered over to the gate to meet me. At first, I was honored to feel her rubbing against my leg: picture a sublime, supersized tabby greeting you at your front door. Then I realized Fierca was doing more than rubbing, the warmth of her spray soaking through my cold pants. You can bet I gave those a good rinse before I got back on the plane.

Dr. Rae with Canada lynx Fierca in the background.

As if a day with Dr. Rae and wolverines wasn’t thrilling enough, Robert and I were later joined by Wild Kingdom’s other renowned co-host, Peter Gros, on a field excursion closer to home. I don’t want to spoil the episode, but here’s just a teaser that you’ll venture with us to Snoqualmie Pass—and that Peter and crew also pay a visit to our very own Woodland Park Zoo.

Wild Kindom crew enjoying the PNW scenery!

On the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, I’ll be parked in front of a flat screen, waiting for Wild Kingdom’s airtime and holding my breath. I won’t be wearing feet pajamas, but I will be thinking about all those little girls out there who might see me and Dr. Rae enchanted by wolverines and vow to themselves, “Someday, I’M going to study wild animals so that I can help save them, too!”

Paula MacKay, Woodland Park Zoo's Carnivore Conservation Specialist, in her natural habitat!

Zoo invites non-profits to apply for free zoo tickets. 100,000 tickets available to qualifying organizations.

2025-11-19T19:35:00.000-08:00

Posted by Lauren Carroll-Bolger, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Calling non-profits and human service organizations! Woodland Park Zoo provides over 100,000 free tickets each year to community partner organizations to support access to the zoo through its Community Access Program (CAP). Applications are now open for CAP and the zoo invites non-profit and human service organizations across the Puget Sound to apply to become a CAP partner for 2026.

Applications for 2026 are now open through Nov. 25, 2025, and can be completed at zoo.org/community. Applications are only accepted during the designated time periods.

A longstanding Woodland Park Zoo program, CAP works with over 400 non-profit and human service partners each year so that the organizations can distribute tickets to the individuals and communities they serve, particularly to those who may have traditionally faced economic, ability or cultural barriers to visiting the zoo.

To ensure equitable distribution throughout the community, CAP only partners with qualifying organizations and does not provide tickets directly to individual people or community members.

Eligibility:

A nonprofit with verifiable 501(c)3 status OR a Washington state or local government entity OR a Tribal organization that serves under-resourced individuals.
Community groups without 501(c)3 status may also apply.
Religious organizations should demonstrate a secular community function that provides social services to under-resourced communities regardless of religious affiliation without promoting belief in a particular faith.
Individual people/community members are not eligible to apply and instead are encouraged to connect with their local non-profits.

To learn more about eligibility, to apply, or to encourage your local non-profit to apply, please visit zoo.org/community.

Individuals interested in accessible or discounted ticket programs, such as the $5 Discover Ticket and $40 Explorer Pass membership for foster and kinship families or recipients of EBT/Washington Quest, SUN Bucks or WIC assistance, may find more information at www.zoo.org/discounts.

Woodland Park Zoo is proud to offer CAP. This program is supported, in part, by 4Culture.

Just in time for Wolf Awareness Week: Our new pack members have names!

2025-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications

Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

We're pleased to announce the names of our new wolf pack members during Wolf Awareness Week!

The four 6-year-old male wolves, all brothers, are named Tamaska (tuh-mah-skuh) Hayes, Lorenzo and Benito! The new family group represents a subspecies of the gray wolf, known as the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi), a relative of gray wolves found in the Pacific Northwest.

The Mexican gray wolf is critically endangered, while the gray wolf (Canis lupus) is listed and protected as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and by the state of Washington.

Tamaska is giving wolf vibes!

This week, October 19 through 25, is Wolf Awareness Week, highlighting the critical role these canids play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Wolf Awareness Week is celebrated each October, giving the world a chance to learn about wolf behavior, habitats, and the challenges they face, including habitat loss and human conflict.

Hayes is so handsome!

“Gray wolves still need our watchful eye. We need to make sure science-driven conservation continues to underline wolf policy so that our wolf populations can survive into the future,” said Robert Long, Director of Living Northwest Programs at Woodland Park Zoo. “Wolf recovery has been decades in the making, but wolves are still vulnerable to misinformation. Wolves and people can peacefully coexist, as long as we give them the space and protections they need.” If you’d like to help gray wolves, consider becoming a Zoo Parent by adopting your own! To celebrate the arrival of the wolf pack, the zoo is offering a special limited time ZooParent wolf adoption! Click here to learn more.

Hello Lorenzo!

Woodland Park Zoo supports wolf recovery in Washington state because wolves have ecological, cultural and intrinsic value. We believe wolves should be legally protected in Washington until science shows that we have a sustainable and ecologically effective wolf population inhabiting all the state’s recovery areas. In keeping with our work to advance coexistence, we endorse nonlethal means for preventing and managing wolf-livestock conflict. We also advocate science-based decision-making for the conservation of wolves in Washington and elsewhere in the U.S.

Honoring Angin: Zoo Mourns the Loss of Critically Endangered Malayan Tiger

2025-10-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications
Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Angin touched many lives and we will miss his amazing presence.

Woodland Park Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its male Malayan tigers Angin (ON-yin), 15, after he was humanely euthanized this morning due to significant decline in health and quality of life.

For several months, animal keepers observed Angin’s mobility declining, along with a decrease in appetite. Earlier this year, he was examined, and analgesic medications were started. After further decline was noted, a follow-up exam and an MRI were performed this summer. These diagnostics showed that Angin had severe, degenerative, and progressive changes to the bones of the neck, which were causing inflammation and pain. The zoo’s animal health team changed his treatment plan based on these findings.

“Angin was treated with multiple medications, including anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and analgesics, which he responded favorably to, and his condition initially improved.” said Dr. Laura St. Clair, Associate Veterinarian, Woodland Park Zoo. “Unfortunately, over the past few weeks Angin's condition rapidly declined. We adjusted his medications once more but, unfortunately, his condition did not improve, and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize Angin. The ability to provide Angin treatment and comfort was only possible because of the dedication and support of his incredible caretakers.”

As a standard procedure, the zoo’s animal health team will perform a postmortem exam to further diagnose factors that may have contributed to Angin's condition.

Angin, which means wind in Indonesian, arrived at Woodland Park Zoo last October from Ellen Trout Zoo in Texas. He was the brother of Woodland Park Zoo’s other male Malayan tiger, 15-year-old Bumi (Boo-mee), which means earth in Indonesian.

“Angin made a big impression on the zoo community with his majestic presence always stunning guests,” said Arden Robert, Animal Care Manager, Woodland Park Zoo. “Angin was a little more reserved than his brother Bumi and had a love for water. Guests, as well as staff, will miss seeing him soaking in the stream in the tiger habitat. We’ll miss you handsome guy!”

The zoo’s female Malayan tiger, 9-year-old Azul, can be seen roaming the tiger habitat in Banayan Wilds on a rotating schedule with Bumi.

Malayan tigers are a critically endangered species with only about 150 left in the wild. In all, there are six subspecies of tigers: Malayan tigers are significantly smaller than the larger Amur and Bengal tigers and are found in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of the southern tip of Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.

In an effort to save these iconic big cats from extinction, in 2012 Woodland Park Zoo created a partnership with Panthera and Rimba, an in-country field partner of the zoo, to launch the Malayan Tiger Conservation Project. This project is in its second 10-year initiative with the Terengganu State Government to protect tigers in and around Taman Negara National Park in peninsular Malaysia.

Catching up with Nadaya and the females in his gorilla group—Jamani, Jumoke and Olympia.

2025-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications

Handsome Nadaya! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Do you know silverback gorilla Nadaya and the three females—Jamani, Jumoke and Olympia—that make up his western lowland gorilla family? If you don’t, you should! They may not be as active as Kwame and his family because they don’t have youngsters running around (at least not yet ... more on that later) but the animal keepers tell us this group is one of the most cohesive gorilla groups they’ve ever known, in part because all of them “click” and genuinely seem to like being with each other.

Nadaya, who is 24 years old, is a wonderful silverback—a relaxed, calm and mature leader. He is responsible for maintaining a calm and secure atmosphere for his group of females and restoring peace and balance if and when there should be any disagreements between them. He doesn’t like to be without his females for any length of time and seems genuinely determined to be a steady and protective presence for his group. This is exactly what a silverback is supposed to do.

Nadaya can be serious, but has a lighter side too. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Nadaya can be serious at times but definitely has a lighter side too. For starters, some of his “likes” are very specific and quite endearing. One of them is that he likes to sit on things (as opposed to sitting on the ground). It might be a hammock or even a rubber tub which he likes to both sit on top of or flip over to sit inside it. He also likes to prop his feet up and relax with legs crossed at the ankles. You may see him doing this as he reclines for a nap in the habitat with his feet up on the wall—it's a very “Nadaya” pose.

Alternatives to hammocks and tubs include other objects like blankets and wood wool (thin, spongy, shredded wood shavings). Nadaya loves blankets and will spread them out in the outdoor shelter area to sit or lie down on. Or, if it's sunny outside, he may throw a blanket on his back and carry it out to the yard or to the top of the hill so he can spread it out there. He also likes to make his own “shoes” by holding wads of wood wool in his feet as he walks around in the exhibit. The gorilla keepers later find these clumps of wood wool when they clean the yard in the morning—sort of a version of picking Nadya’s shoes that he left out.

Nadaya likes sitting on wood wool and grabbing wads of it with his feet to walk on—like shoes! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The keepers tell us Nadaya seems to have a bit of a sense of humor too. Much like that friend who loves saying “boo” to scare you and get a reaction, Nadaya seems to enjoy when he can catch the gorilla keepers “off guard” by suddenly making a loud noise, like a bang on the wall. He appears to quite relish the reactions he gets from that.

Hierarchy and dominance are a normal part of gorilla group structure, and where each individual falls within that structure is fluid and can change with different situations. The silverback is generally at the top, with females and youngsters finding their place under his watchful eye and protection. Right now, Olympia and Jumoke are the more dominant females while Jamani, who happens to be the youngest of the three at 25, tends to show deference to them.

Jumoke, who at 40 is the oldest of the females in this group, is Nadaya's favorite. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Jumoke, who turned 40 in May, is very socially savvy and has a great relationship with Nadaya. From the first time she met him (he came to Woodland Park Zoo in 2022 after her former companion Vip died in 2021), she has shown Nadaya proper respect, letting him know that he is a strong, capable silverback and not challenging him. Her ability to “flatter” and appease him is key to her “favorite” status within the group and is likely one of the reasons why he will back her up if the other females were to gang up on her.

Jumoke also gets along well with the females in her group—so long as everyone respects the hierarchy. Being one of the more dominant ones, she will occasionally threat-grunt to the other females as a “reminder” of her status—especially if Jamani and Olympia, who knew each other for many years before they came to Woodland Park Zoo together in 2022, are in cahoots. Since Jamani is more conflict-averse, this doesn’t happen often unless Jumoke challenges Olympia, in which case Jamani will back her long-time friend.

Beautiful Olympia may be small in stature, but has a large personality. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Olympia, who is 29 years old, is the smallest of the females in stature, but her personality is large! The gorilla keepers describe her as dominant, confident and persistent. When she was first introduced to Nadaya in 2022, she may have been a little too persistent and forward for his liking. Perhaps it came across as being a bit needy. But since then, she has “softened” her approach to getting his attention and their relationship—along with her confidence—has blossomed.

At 25, Jamani is the youngest of the females in this group. Those of you who remember Pete and Nina from many decades ago (they were the foundation of Woodland Park Zoo’s gorilla program) may be interested to know that Jamani, who was born in San Diego, is their great-granddaughter! The gorilla keepers describe her as quiet, laid back and respectful.

Jamani, sitting next to Nadaya, is the youngest of the females in this group. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

While she and the others in her group are not related by blood (except for Jumoke who is Jamani’s aunt, although it’s unlikely either of them is aware of the connection), they operate as a family group. At the end of the day, even though they all have access to separate bedrooms in their indoor sleeping quarters, Nadaya and all three females usually prefer to stay in the same room together through the night. This is a group that does not like to be separated from one another.

When it comes to mealtime, however, that can be different. Some of their food is offered behind the scenes, which provides important opportunities for daily training sessions between each gorilla and the gorilla keepers. These voluntary sessions enable our expert animal care staff to spend one-on-one time with each member of our gorilla family to make sure that everyone is healthy and getting their share of food along with any needed vitamins or medications. These sessions not only reinforce the trusting bonds between the gorillas and our dedicated keepers, but they also allow each gorilla to enjoy their favorite treats in relative “peace” without having to compete with other family members.

Jumoke and her group love browse—the leaves, bark, stems and flowers eaten right off the tree or bush. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

As for favorite foods, Nadaya’s group shares similar tastes—literally. All except Jumoke like yogurt, and all of them are quite fond of grapes, peanuts and other fruits. This group loves their browse too—meaning the leaves, bark, stems and flowers eaten right off the tree or bush. Our animal keepers and horticulture team tell us they eat more of the bushes in the exhibit than any other group of gorillas has—past or present!

Being in their 20s, Jamani and Olympia are both in the prime of life and are both experienced mothers. They each gave birth just weeks apart 13 years ago and raised their sons together at North Carolina Zoo where they used to live. By the time young male gorillas are around 10 years old, it is normal and healthy for them to crave independence and leave their birth families—in part because a sexually mature male will instinctively seek out unrelated breeding partners. Jamani’s and Olympia’s sons are both young adults now, but that doesn’t mean that the “parenthood years” are behind these two females.

Jamani Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan—a cooperative breeding program across accredited zoos to help ensure healthy, self-sustaining populations of threatened and endangered species—has issued breeding recommendations for both Jamani and Olympia with Nadaya. A good genetic match is important for the long-term survival of the population and the health of each individual within it, but these recommendations can only go so far if the gorillas don’t “like” each other. But that’s not an issue here. As we’ve established, Nadaya and his females are a close, cohesive and healthy group.

While parenthood is not new for Jamani or Olympia, the same can’t be said of Nadaya. He has not had offspring before, and while being around a busy, active multigenerational family will not be entirely unfamiliar (he was still living with his mother when his siblings were born), being a dad will be a new role for him. But the gorilla keepers say that Nadaya’s bond with his females (in addition to a new mother gorilla’s instinct to stick close to her baby’s father) suggests that being protective of them and their babies would come naturally to him—just as it does for most silverbacks in the wild. And that, coupled with his previous experience with gorilla family dynamics, means that the keepers expect Nadaya will be a great dad!

Jamani and Olympia are both experienced mothers and each of them may have motherhood in their future again. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Female western lowland gorillas have an approximate 28-day menstrual cycle much like humans do. The gorilla keepers can track Jamani’s and Olympia’s cycles and both of them have been trained to urinate into a PVC pipe—so when the time comes, the keepers will be able to use a human home pregnancy test with the gorillas’ urine to confirm a pregnancy, estimate a probable due date and be as ready as possible for a new baby. There’s nothing to announce just yet. But we promise to keep you posted on any exciting developments, and it is possible that by next summer there could be one or even two new additions to Nadaya’s family group.

Until then, we hope you will enjoy seeing Nadaya, Jamani, Olympia and Jumoke together—and we hope you’ll join us in taking action to help protect and save gorillas in the wild. For more on Kwame and his family, you can take a peek at our last gorilla blog by clicking the link here.

Help gorillas in their natural range
Every visit to Woodland Park Zoo supports conservation of animals in the wild. Join the zoo by recycling old cell phones and other used handheld electronics through ECO-CELL to help preserve gorilla habitat. Funds generated from ECO-CELL support our conservation partner in the Congo Basin, the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project.

We work with ECO-CELL to offer a place where you can recycle your old cell phones and other handheld devices to help save gorillas! Photo: Elizabeth Bacher/Woodland Park Zoo

Become a ZooParent!
ZooParent adoptions help the zoo provide exceptional care for all of Woodland Park Zoo's amazing animals and support wildlife conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

Consider becoming a monthly donor
Making a monthly gift in any amount helps save endangered species here in the Pacific Northwest and around the globe. zoo.org/givemonthly

Editor's Note: We offer big thanks and appreciation to the dedicated gorilla keepers and animal care team members who contributed so many rich details to this story!

Howls Return! New Wolf Pack Arrives at Woodland Park Zoo

2025-09-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications
Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Howl about this? A new pack of gray wolves has just arrived at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and guests will soon be able to see them in the Living Northwest Trail!

The four 6-year-old male wolves, all brothers, were born at the California Wolf Center in southern California and have just arrived at Woodland Park Zoo. Zoo team members will be taking time to get to know them and look forward to sharing more on each brother soon.

“The zoo is a new environment for these wolves so it will take them some time to acclimate to their new surroundings and routine,” said Pat Owen, Animal Care Manager at Woodland Park Zoo. “As they adjust, they may be a bit shy and difficult for guests to spot. We kindly ask our guests to avoid howling at the wolves as it can cause stress for the animals.”

The new family group represents a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, known as the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi), a relative of gray wolves found in the Pacific Northwest. Critically endangered, Mexican gray wolves are part of a collaborative recovery initiative through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums called SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction). This is a program that protects species from the risk of extinction by identifying and tackling threats, developing and implementing action plans and monitoring success. These wolves have a distinctive, richly colored coat of buff, gray, rust and black, often with distinguishing facial patterns.

“We are thrilled to bring wolves back to the Living Northwest Trail for guests to enjoy and learn from,” said Owen. “As a subspecies of gray wolves, these brothers will be excellent ambassadors for their wild cousins facing ongoing threats here in the Pacific Northwest and across North America.”

As conservation ambassadors, these four furry fellas will highlight the complex history, ongoing challenges, and opportunities for species recovery that wolves across the continent face.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for people of all ages to connect with wolves at the zoo and learn about this remarkable species. There is so much to discover about the challenges these apex predators face in the wild, their contribution to our ecosystems, and the beauty and complexity of wolf dynamics,” said Owen.

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is listed and protected as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act and by the state of Washington.

The Mexican gray wolf is the rarest and smallest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. Once common throughout portions of the southwestern United States, the Mexican wolf was eliminated from the southwestern U.S. by the mid-1900s. Wolves in the Pacific Northwest and across the continent were historically hunted almost to extinction in the U.S., with the exception of Alaska and Minnesota.

In 1976, the Mexican gray wolf was listed as endangered. Since then, ongoing conservation efforts are making slow progress; there are now an estimated 286 Mexican gray wolves living in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico, and a much smaller number in Mexico.

Wolves are the largest members of the dog family and are very social animals, forming tight-knit family groups made up of around 6 to 10 usually related individuals, or sometimes smaller or larger numbers. The groups are led by a breeding pair, who typically mate for life. All adults in the group may take part in caring for young pups by bringing them food and sharing “baby-sitting” responsibilities.

Woodland Park Zoo supports wolf recovery in Washington state because wolves have ecological, cultural and intrinsic value. We believe wolves should be legally protected in Washington until science shows that we have a sustainable and ecologically effective wolf population inhabiting all the state’s recovery areas. In keeping with our work to advance coexistence, we endorse nonlethal means for preventing and managing wolf-livestock conflict. We also advocate science-based decision-making for the conservation of wolves in Washington and elsewhere in the U.S.

Queen and King of the African Savanna: Catch up with lions Ilanga and Tandie

2025-09-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications

Ilanga and Tandie: Queen and King of the Savanna! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

If you haven’t seen lions Tandie and Ilanga in a while, here’s an update for you. Tandie, whose name means "fire," was born as a triplet at Woodland Park Zoo in 2014. He spent his early adult years at Oakland Zoo before making a royal homecoming in 2022 and inheriting the Savanna “kingdom” after his father passed away. For the last three years, the nearly-11-year-old (his birthday is in October) has shared the Savanna with 8-year-old lioness Ilanga. Recently we checked in with lead animal keeper Katie Graves to see what’s new with Tandie and Ilanga. Read on to learn all about this fabulous pair!

Tandie is so handsome! This laid back lion lets his female companion Ilanga take the lead in most instances. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Tandie arrived back at Woodland Park Zoo in October 2022 to be Ilanga’s companion and prospective breeding partner—and they hit it off very quickly. Once we did physical introductions, they became fast friends and companions and have been together ever since. We observed them lying together and playing with enrichment together after only days of being together. However, Ilanga did have a larger "personal bubble" in the beginning but that has gradually gotten smaller as time has passed and you can usually see them snuggled together when strolling by the lion habitat.

Ilanga is the sassier cat of the two and definitely is the one in charge most of the time. Tandie is more laid back and lets Ilanga take the reins for the most part.

Tandie and Ilanga have bonded really well as companions for each other.

Ilanga likes to be outside 99% of the time no matter what the weather is like while Tandie enjoys hanging out inside in a cozy bed on rainy cold days. However, he does usually follow Ilanga wherever she goes so they aren’t always spending time inside when he would like to so you will likely see them cozied up on their heated shelf closest to the building on habitat on rainy days.

They are both quite playful and each has their favorite items for enrichment. Ilanga’s is a tan plastic toy that is the shape of a cylinder with rounded ends—like a capsule—that has been cut in half. She absolutely loves it, and it will carry it around with her wherever she goes. She has even gone into the moat when it has rolled in there to retrieve it.

A boy and (one of) his toys! Photo: Beth Keplinger/Woodland Park Zoo

Tandie loves smaller boomer balls and other toys that he can bat around all over the habitat with his big paws. Sometimes we will hear him hitting it against the wall of the building where their indoor space is, so it bounces back to him. He’s also been seen braving the moat to retrieve a toy he is playing with if it happens to go in there.

Both cats also love rolls of paper towels (yes ... you heard that right). They will play with a paper towel roll all day until it is completely obliterated!

Peek-a-boo—Sassy Ilanga sees you! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

They also enjoy enrichment in the form of scents and spices such as peppermint extract, cumin, and paprika. They roll around in it just like a housecat with catnip! Tandie and Ilanga are incredibly motivated to train and both of them catch on to new behaviors quickly. Smart kitties!

The African Lion Species Survival Plan—a cooperative breeding program across accredited zoos to help ensure healthy, self-sustaining populations of threatened and endangered species—has issued a breeding recommendation for Tandie and Ilanga. We have nothing to announce presently, but parenthood could be in the future for this lovely lion couple so stay tuned.

Tandie and his siblings nuzzling with their father, Xerxes, back in 2015 when they were just cubs. Tandie learned from the best which is good, because he'll have big paw prints to fill if he becomes a father himself! Photo: Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo

About our lions and lion conservation in the wild
Both our lions are a South African subspecies, Panthera leo krugeri, known as the Transvaal lion. The South African lion subspecies ranges in Southern Sahara to South Africa in grassy plains, savanna and open woodlands, excluding the Congo rain forest belt.

Woodland Park Zoo partners with and supports the Lion Landscapes program in and around Ruaha National Park in Tanzania, which is protecting as much as 10% of the remaining population of wild lions in their landscape. The program supports local communities that share the habitat with wildlife and provides tools and education to mitigate human-carnivore conflict in the Ruaha landscape. You can learn more about Lion Landscapes here: https://www.zoo.org/lionlandscapes

Three new species of hornbill have landed at Woodland Park Zoo

2025-09-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

We’d like to introduce you to some fabulous, feathered friends in the hornbill department! Three species have recently landed, and we can’t wait for you to get to know them.

Rhinoceros hornbill
Buceros rhinoceros

Jack has red eyes with a black ring around them.

Biscuit has blueish-white eyes with a red ring around them.

Meet Jack and Biscuit, our stunning male and female pair. Though they are similar in size and appearance, their eyes are distinctive. Jack has red eyes with a black rim. Biscuit has white eyes with a red rim. Hornbills mate for life and are extremely dedicated pairs. Visit them at Trail of Vines between siamangs—and fittingly— Glenn the rhino.

Range: Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo.

Habitat: Primary and secondary tropical rainforest. They depend on large trees with adequately sized cavities for nesting.

Diet: Rhinoceros Hornbills are primarily frugivores and play a very important role in restoring the rainforests, acting as seed dispersers as they travel long distances looking for fruiting trees. During the breeding season they also prey upon large invertebrates and small vertebrates to feed their chicks.

Biscuit the rhinoceros hornbill in Trail of Vines.

Wrinkled hornbills
Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus

Eliot the wrinkled hornbill in Conservation Aviary.

You’ll find Eliot in Conservation Aviary—soon to be joined by female Sedona. They are phenomenal foragers—fruit lovers at their core. The wrinkled casque—a specialized bump on top of its bill—is thought to amplify vocalizations. The male has a yellow throat while the female has a black throat and a smaller casque.

Range: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

Habitat: Primary lowland rainforest and coastal swamp forest where they nest in tree cavities. They help maintain biodiversity of the forest as seed dispensers.

Diet: They primarily eat fruit but will also eat small animals such as frogs and insects. Wrinkled hornbills rarely drink water and get most of the moisture they need from their food.

Southern Ground Hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri

Mndeni our male Southern ground hornbill. Photo by Beth Keplinger

Mbali, our female Southern ground hornbill

Among the world’s largest hornbills, Mndeni and Mbali are our resident Southern ground hornbills. You can spot the male by a red throat patch while the female has a stunning blue-violet throat patch. They are known for their booming vocalizations—sometimes mistaken for a lion’s roar they are so loud! Listen for their love song in Conservation Aviary next time you stop by.

Range: Southern Africa

Habitat: Woodlands and savannas with dense grass and large trees for nesting

Diet: They are carnivorous and feed primarily on insects and small vertebrates

Biscuit and Jack, rhinoceros hornbills

Conservation

Hornbills are heavily dependent on adequately sized trees for nesting and are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. They are also victims of illegal wildlife trade as exotic pets and for animal parts.

Woodland Park Zoo leads the Asian Hornbill Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) Program, supporting the sustainability and protection of wild Asian hornbills within their natural ranges from poaching, trade, and habitat loss or degradation through science-based, and stakeholder-inclusive conservation action.

Woodland Park Zoo supports conservation of Asian hornbills by coordinating donations from many North American partners to the Hornbill Nest Adoption program run by the Hornbill Research Foundation in Thailand. This foundation runs a community nest protection and forest warden program which includes nest monitoring, repair of natural nests that have degraded over time, as well as installing artificial nests. You can adopt a hornbill nest today: zoo.org/nestadoptions

An artificial hornbill nest with a pleased resident.

Catch up with our brown bear besties: Juniper and Fern are giving Fall vibes!

2025-09-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher, Communications with Animal Keeper Maddie Weholt

BFFs, Juniper and Fern, are doing BFF things as they prepare for fall. Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

With Fall just around the corner, our thoughts turn to crisp weather, colorful leaves, apple picking and warm snuggles with blankets and cups of cocoa—the perfect hygge recipe! The coming of fall means changes for our brown bear besties too! They are turning their attention to all things related to food and upcoming nap opportunities. It’s an ideal time to check in with Animal Keeper Maddie on what autumn has in store for Juniper and Fern.

WPZ: Juniper and Fern are both 3 years old now, turning 4 this coming winter—so almost full grown. How are they doing?

Keeper Maddie: Both bears are doing well. It’s super cool to me to see that the personalities they’ve had since arriving here 3 years ago (in 2022) as youngsters have stayed incredibly consistent now that they are on the young side of adulthood. Bears are very honest animals—they are who they are!

Juniper is still very boisterous and silly and is often seen throwing sticks around in the pool or “playing” with guests through the glass.

Fern is still generally more of a serious, stoic bear but she does have a silly side! Every so often she will lie on her back in the shallow end of their pool with all four feet in the air, waving them around.

I hope these bears never lose their silly sides even as they grow older.

Both bears love to play chase and Juniper (seen here) is usually the "chaser"! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Do they still play a lot with each other or with toys—which includes things they might find that they make into “toys”? What does that look like and what are the biggest "personality" differences between the two of them?

They sure do! They love to play chase. Both will initiate the game but Juniper is usually the chaser and Fern usually the one being chased. We always make sure there are logs or sticks floating in the pool because both bears enjoy playing with them. They will chew on them, and Juniper loves to put them on her head and fling them towards guests in the glass viewing area or across the pool to make a big splash. She also likes to try to sink the larger logs. We recently put a long skinny log in the pool that floats, and Juniper likes trying to stand or lay on it—like a kid with a pool noodle!

Their favorite toys are Boomer Balls. They have many different sizes ranging from 4-inch diameter to 3-foot diameter, and most have holes drilled in them so we can put treats inside that they have to work to get out.

Both bears love these toys, but they play with them very differently! Juniper is a do-er! She picks them up and throws them as hard as she can and then finds all the food that falls out. It sounds like a bowling alley when she is throwing all her toys around. With the smaller balls she serves them like a volleyball—always with her left paw (would a bear be left-handed or left-pawed?).

Photo: Beth Keplinger/Woodland Park Zoo

Fern is a thinker. She methodically rolls her toys around or puts them in a corner to spin. She knows exactly how to get the food the fastest and her methods are much more intentional than Juniper’s! Fern cares more about the pay-out, Juniper cares more about the fun had along the way.

While Juniper is outwardly silly, Fern is secretly silly. Juniper likes attention from people and definitely hams it up for guests who laugh as they watch her funny antics, like throwing sticks and rocks around. On the other hand, Fern does funny things when she thinks nobody is watching (class clown vs. quiet girl with a great sense of humor). I once saw Fern trying so hard to balance a tiny 6-inch diameter boomer ball on her back foot just for fun. When she saw me watching her, she stopped.

Fern is a little more nervous about new things but has smaller reactions when something startles her. Juniper has big loud reactions when startled by something. Fern has a larger comfort zone than Juniper but is less likely to step outside her comfort zone. Juniper has a smaller comfort zone but is more willing to step outside and do things that scare her.

Personality-wise, they really couldn’t be more different!

Fern is a "thinker." Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

What changes have you noticed in Juniper and Fern over this last year? Anything significant?

Honestly, nothing huge! Their personalities have remained consistent as has their relationship with each other. Juniper and Fern may be opposites in many ways, but they get along very well and have very complimentary personalities.

They weigh more now than they did last July but that’s not surprising given they are still on the young side of adulthood. We expect they are probably both done growing at this point and will start to fall into pretty consistent annual weight patterns. At last check, Juniper was weighing in at just under 480 pounds and Fern is about 40 pounds lighter—which makes sense since she is a smaller subspecies of brown bear.* But their weights fluctuate a lot with the seasons, which is completely normal.

Juniper loves tossing things into the air and across the exhibit space! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Have their food preferences changed? What favorites does each of them have? I know we're coming into the hyperphagia time of the year for them, so will there be diet changes coming up?

Food preferences have stayed the same for both bears. Fern still prefers meat over produce whereas Juniper prefers fruit. Grapes are the #1 favorite food for both bears with mixed nuts being a favorite to search for when we scatter them throughout the habitat, and honey as their training reward.

Their diets have been steadily increasing since February and will continue to increase until late October. Right now, their appetites are rapidly increasing as they enter a state called hyperphagia (a biological urge to eat excessively to rapidly gain weight and build up fat reserves for winter). After that, we will begin to decrease the amount of food they get based on how much they’re leaving uneaten as they start slowing down for winter. Sometimes there are weeks in between diet changes and sometimes only days. One rule of being a bear keeper is to never memorize diets because of how frequently they change!

Photo: Beth Keplinger/Woodland Park Zoo

What should guests be looking for over the next months and year with these two "still-growing girls"?

As they move into hyperphagia there will likely be less playing between the two of them because they are a little more irritable and food is the one thing on the brain. Last year we noticed they spent more time napping apart rather than sharing a bed, until they started getting sleepy and their appetites decreased. Then they were back to snuggling and they shared a den all winter.

A lot of people ask us if the bears are hibernating while they’re sleeping. Our bears don’t technically hibernate. Instead, they enter “torpor” which is a kind of sleepy state with significant physiological changes like a reduced heart rate, slower breathing and slowed metabolism—living off the fat reserves they packed on during hyperphagia.

This will be their second year with 24/7 access to a den for the winter, so it’s another big learning year for us! We are excited to see what they do and share info about their seasonality with our guests who hopefully find it as fascinating as we all do. We will be livestreaming their den camera on the screen in the Riverhouse (the building adjacent to their habitat) when they start using it just like last year, so visitors may still be able to see them napping on-screen even when they’re not out-and-about in their space.

Photo: Beth Keplinger/Woodland Park Zoo

*A NOTE ABOUT BROWN BEARS: Both of our bears, who live in the Living Northwest Trail part of the zoo, were born in winter of 2022 and came here as orphans after losing their mothers. Juniper and Fern are both brown bears and members of the same species, Ursus arctos. But Fern is an interior brown bear (also known as a “grizzly bear”) from Montana, while Juniper is an Alaskan coastal brown bear—a larger subspecies. Scientifically speaking, all grizzlies are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzlies.

You can find links to our previous blogs about Juniper and Fern’s rescues as cubs and all their brown bear shenanigans over the last few years—as well as information about bear conservation and recovery efforts here: https://blog.zoo.org/search?q=juniper+fern

African porcupines (and porcupettes) are keeping zoo busy

2025-08-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
Photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo

Hello, prickly friends!

Bristles aside, zoo-goers can encounter from a safe distance a “prickle” of African crested porcupines at Woodland Park Zoo in the African Savanna’s former hippo habitat. A group of porcupines is known as a prickle!

The porcupines were seized as part of a suspected neglect case in Oregon and are receiving housing and care at Woodland Park Zoo while that case is ongoing. While being housed at the zoo since the end of May, the prickle has multiplied with the birth of a pair of porcupettes (baby porcupines) born on July 24.

These prickly cuties were seized as part of a suspected neglect case and are receiving housing and dedicated care at Woodland Park Zoo while that case is ongoing.

“While performing a morning routine for the porcupines, including checking on, feeding and cleaning the den, a member of the animal care team came upon the two baby porcupines, known as porcupettes. It was a nice surprise to discover little, soft quills moving about,” said Martin Ramirez, a Mammal Curator at Woodland Park Zoo.

Renovations were made to the habitat that once housed hippos such as changes to the pool and adding fencing and shelter to ensure the safety and well-being of the porcupines. A few adults may be seen in the renovated habitat while the parents care for their young in a non-viewable area until they grow bigger.

The African crested porcupine is one of the world's biggest rodents! Adults can be 30-35 inches long and weigh more than 60 pounds.

As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), which accredits only organizations that meet the highest standards in animal care and wellbeing, Woodland Park Zoo joined AZA’s Wildlife Trafficking Alliance in 2017 to work alongside a coalition of more than 90 partners to reduce, and hopefully eventually eliminate, the illegal trade of wildlife.

Last year, the zoo joined a new and growing partnership, the Wildlife Confiscation Network, created by AZA to support U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and other federal agencies who intercept and seize wildlife being trafficked across borders and through U.S. ports of entry. Network members are reputable and trusted animal care facilities who can provide immediate housing and medical care for confiscated trafficked animals.

The group of porcupines (known as a prickle) can be seen in the former hippo habitat in the zoo's African Savanna area.

The 4.5-acre African Savanna allows zoo visitors to view a community of species found in the dry grasslands of Africa including giraffe, Plain’s zebra, Grant’s gazelle, patas monkeys, and Egyptian geese, as well as separate habitats for African lion and warthogs.

Prickly Facts

The body of an African crested porcupine is covered with coarse, sharp quills that range from 1 to 13 inches long.
The African crested porcupine is one of the world’s biggest rodents! Adults can be 30 to 35 inches long and weigh more than 60 pounds!
When threatened, how do they warn not to come any closer? They will stamp their feet and make a rattling sound with their quills—back off!

A first for Woodland Park Zoo: The Goliath beetles are HERE!

2025-08-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Posted by Elizabeth Bacher

These Goliath beetles are ... well ... Goliath! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

They’re big! They’re super cool! They’re the current rockstars of Bug World—the BEETLES!

Goliath beetles (Goliathus goliatus) are among the largest and heaviest of all insects with some mature males measuring in at more than 4 inches long! These gentle giants (males can be aggressive towards rival male beetles but are generally harmless to humans) are native to central and west Africa.

Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

These beetles spend much of their short lives as a larva then a pupa before finally emerging as adults with the entire life cycle lasting up to a year or so.

Dedicated Bug World keeper, Maria, gently holds the Goliath beetle larva—and YES, it is bigger than her finger! Photo: Courtesy of Maria Buckner/Woodland Park Zoo

Check our the hand-sized clay/sand pupal structure from which an adult Goliath beetle will emerge! Photo: Courtesy of Maria Buckner/Woodland Park Zoo

TA-DAAAH!! After several months, an adult beetle ecloses (emerges from the pupal cell). Photo: Courtesy of Maria Buckner/Woodland Park Zoo

It’s been a labor of love and dedication for our amazing Bug World keepers, nurturing them through all these stages and meeting all their needs for very specific levels of environmental moisture, substrate and even different kinds of food!

Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

The adult beetles in Bug World right now began pupation in early January 2025, and eclosed (emerged from the pupal cell) in late June—a very exciting first for Woodland Park Zoo. You can tell the males from the females by the “Y” shaped horn on their heads that they use to “battle” other males over feeding sites or mating opportunities.

Our admiration for the dedication of our Bug World keepers is truly Goliath! Photo: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

COOL BEETLE FACT: Like most specialized species, Goliath beetles play a very important role in maintaining the health of their tropical rainforest habitats. Their dietary needs change throughout their lifecycle and can include everything from rotting fruit and decaying plant matter to animal remains—so they help to enrich the soil and facilitate nutrient cycling in their environment. THANKS, beetles!

Let’s Hang Out! New Sloth Arrives at Woodland Park Zoo's Tropical Rain Forest Aviary

2025-08-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Posted by Craig Newberry, Communications

Photos: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Hello, Fezzik! We're already in love with this Hoffmann's two-toed sloth.

Some news to keep you on your toes! For the first time in five years, a new sloth is calling Woodland Park Zoo home. The sloth, named Fezzik after a character in The Princess Bride, is 10 years old and recently arrived from Milwaukee County Zoo.

Fezzik is a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth—Choloepus hoffmanni—they are solitary, tree-dwelling mammals named for their two long, curved claws on each of their front feet. These slow-moving nocturnal creatures spend the majority of their time hanging upside down in forest canopies where fruit, leaves and flowers are plentiful for munching.

From every angle, Fezzik is perfection!

Sloths, all of which are found in Central and South America, generally have very gentle dispositions and Fezzik is no exception!

“We’re thrilled to bring a sloth species back to the zoo and Fezzik is busy leisurely exploring and getting comfortable in his new home,” said Shawn Pedersen, Animal Curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “Fezzik is sure to be a crowd pleaser with his calm and docile personality.”

You can look for Fezzik hanging around in the zoo's Tropical Rain Forest aviary.

You can find this thick-haired mammal chilling out in the zoo’s Tropical Rain Forest aviary along with dozens of exotic birds who also call the aviary home.