We are five red wolves closer to recovering the iconic American species. Three males and two females were born in April at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s off-site breeding facility … Continued
animals
There are new kids on the block! Goat kids Kettle, Biscuit, Hopper, Crumpet, Daisy Mae, Rhubarb, and Thistle, named by their keepers, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium on … Continued
It’s that time of year again! Our Magellanic penguins have found their mates and are in the middle of nesting season. Earlier this month, keepers observed our penguin pairs snuggling … Continued
If you thought Spring Training was over, guess again! It’s still underway at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The animals and keepers at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater are preparing … Continued
It takes many tons of food to feed the more than 12,000 animals that live at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. For example, zoo staff prepare 133,000 pounds of seafood … Continued
February 29th is the hoppiest day of the year! Frogs, cats, lemurs, and more. We’re celebrating our leaping and jumping creatures this Leap Day. Tufted Puffins Spend a few minutes … Continued
As another year ends, we reflect on the special moments Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium had the privilege of being a part of in 2023. We welcomed polar bear sisters … Continued
Her wingspan is 6.2 feet wide. From nose to tail, she’s 13 feet long. She’s noticeably more prominent than the three other female ocellated eagle rays in the Pacific Seas … Continued
The first full week of December every year is Walrus Awareness Week. In recognition of the holiday and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s two walruses, Balzak (pronounced bell’-zik) and Lakina, … Continued
We’re all feeling the cold right about now in the Pacific Northwest. But here at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, our animals have some pretty cool ways to deal with … Continued
Plenty of evidence suggests animals are incredibly intelligent: elephants have exceptional memories and demonstrate self-awareness, octopuses use their arms to solve puzzles, and insects, such as bees and ants, work … Continued
Polar bear twin sisters Astra and Laerke are celebrating their 3rd birthday at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium November 18-19. Since first arriving at the zoo in June, the pair … Continued
Willow, the fuzzy, spunky, six-week-old muskox calf, now lives in the large muskoxen habitat (babyproofed, of course!) with her mom, Charlotte. “She loves galloping around the grassy hillsides of the … Continued
Meet Willow, a fuzzy, two-week-old muskox calf at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Adoring fans voted online for her name, chosen from a slate of four names offered by keepers … Continued
There’s some extra excitement in the Rocky Shores seabird habitat at the zoo: Five tufted puffin chicks, known as pufflings, hatched recently! After pufflings hatch, they stay in a nest … Continued
Celebrate Suki’s 59th birthday at the zoo Sept. 22-24. Suki, the Asian elephant, is famous around Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Guests are invited to join her birthday festivities as … Continued
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to three endangered sea otters in the Rocky Shores habitat. Every year, Sea Otter Awareness Week takes place during the last full week of September … Continued
Black cats, pumpkins, ghosts… skulls and skeletons. They’re all symbols of the Halloween season. We asked Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s veterinarians, Dr. Karen Wolf and Dr. Kadie Anderson, to … Continued
Voting is now open for our community to choose the name of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s newest baby animal- a female muskox calf. The calf, born to eight-year-old Charlotte, … Continued
IT’S A GIRL! MUSKOX CALF BORN AT POINT DEFIANCE ZOO & AQUARIUM Charlotte the muskox gave birth to a female calf Thursday morning at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The … Continued
Penguin chick Regina passed her “swimming lessons” and can now be seen in Penguin Point with the rest of the Magellanic penguin colony. The two-month-old chick, raised by parents Orange … Continued
As a powerful heat wave hits the greater Tacoma area with temperatures in the 90s, keepers at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma are finding ways to keep the … Continued
If the tiger is the king of the jungle, then the anoa would be the gardener. They’re not iconic like an elephant or acrobatic like a siamang. They don’t star … Continued
So fetch! We can’t wait for you to meet penguin chick Regina – named after Regina George from the movie Mean Girls. The growing penguin chick currently lives behind the … Continued
What’s that sound? It’s the tapirs together again, sharing a habitat in the Asian Forest Sanctuary. Yuna (female) and Baku (male) know each other by smell and sound, but usually … Continued
Sharks, sharks, sharks! It’s Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, which means it’s time to celebrate sharks’ critical role in our marine food webs and ocean health. The Pacific Seas Aquarium is … Continued
With black iridescent plumage and remarkable intellect, Ari is a beautiful bird that came to us from our friends Portland Audubon. Ravens have a wide variety of vocalizations and are … Continued
Ever wondered what it’s like to run a finger over the back of a prickly pink sea star? Or hold a tiny crab in the palm of your hand? Find … Continued
Astra’s large round paws are very busy, kneading a big blue barrel that’s full of water. It looks like she is making biscuits. She pushes down with all her might … Continued