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Zoo News
Apr 24, 2024

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

Apr 19, 2024

They have thick trunks and twisting branches, like winding pathways through time. Their acorns have fallen to the ground, easy pickings for the gray squirrels, birds, and deer that call … Continued

Apr 19, 2024

Second graders at Arlington Elementary School got decked out in matching blue coats. There were excited giggles and chatter as they prepared to leave their classroom and venture into their … Continued

Apr 04, 2024

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

Apr 04, 2024

Polar bear twins Astra and Laerke, both 3-years-old, received wellness exams in March (on different days). The exams were the first time the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium veterinarians and … Continued

Mar 20, 2024

Moea, the 14-year-old sea otter, recently received her routine wellness exam. While under anesthesia, the rescued sea otter was weighed, x-rayed, and given a full dental exam and cleaning. Veterinarian … Continued

Mar 20, 2024

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will be open daily beginning April 1, just in time for Spring Breaks across the region. Of course, animals like the tigers, red wolves, hammerhead … Continued

Mar 01, 2024

Fourth and fifth graders at Tacoma’s Arlington Elementary were giddy with excitement as they gathered in their gym. Which animals were they about to encounter? Maybe an armadillo? A skink? … Continued

Feb 26, 2024

There’s a new sea turtle at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Like many sea turtles, it swims along the sandy ocean floor in a seagrass bed. But this sea turtle … Continued

Feb 22, 2024

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

Feb 21, 2024

During Tacoma Public Schools January mini-term, students at the Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and Industrial Design Engineering and Art (IDEA) choose one class from … Continued

Feb 12, 2024

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

Feb 06, 2024

During Tacoma Public Schools January mini-term, students at the Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and Industrial Design Engineering and Art (IDEA) choose one class from … Continued

Feb 05, 2024

Love is in the air at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! There’s no concrete way to measure an animal’s love, but many animals at the zoo are coupled up or … Continued

Jan 10, 2024

Point Defiance Zoo’s 12-year-old resident male tiger, Sanjiv, recently had a dentist appointment to fix a fractured tooth. Dr. Alice Sievers, a board-certified veterinary dentist and one of only 250 … Continued

Jan 10, 2024

When it’s wet and cold outside, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and meet amazing animals! Warm, Indoor Aquarium The Pacific Seas Aquarium is … Continued