Rocky Shores

There are only 14 walruses in human care in the United States, and three of them are here at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! Meet Joan, Basilla and Kulusiq as they swim and flip around their rocky pool habitat.

Watch them from above or underwater and come to a keeper talk to learn all about them.

How can you tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion? Seals have ear holes, while sea lions have ear flaps. They also “walk” on land using their fore-flippers, while seals scoot on their bellies.

Here at the Zoo we have three sea lions: our male Chinook, and the two girls Neah and Matia. Sometimes they’re together, sometimes not – keep a look out in the main pool habitat!

Sea otters are very social – and ours are no exception! Sekiu, Moea and Libby love to play together or just snuggle – but they’re also extremely curious and will explore objects like cups or balls.

Watch them above-water or underneath to see their amazing swimming agility!

It’s hard to resist those beautiful big eyes. But harbor seals have special eyes for a reason – their flattened corneas help them take in more light, making it easier to see underwater.

You might just spot one in nearby Puget Sound, but ours are a lot easier to find in the big pools of Rocky Shores.

Plenty of sea birds live along the shores of Alaska and British Columbia, and in the Rocky Shores habitat we have three kinds: tufted puffins, with their classic tuft of feathers on the back of their heads; horned puffins, who sport a curvy black “horn” of feathers over their eyes in summer; and murres, with their white chests and smooth black backs.

Spot them all nesting in the rocks or diving for fish.

Our Magellanic penguins are cared for by Rocky Shores keepers – but there’s a big difference between them and the other inhabitants. They don’t live in the same place! In the wild, penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, close to Antarctica, while Pacific walrus, sea otters, California sea lions and harbor seals live in the Northern Hemisphere.

And here at the Zoo you’ll also find them in a different place: just uphill from the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater on the way to Budgies and Camels.