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Coastal Wildlife

At Rocky Shores you can explore a far Northwest world where land and ocean meet; where sea lions dive, seals splash and otters play.

Discover Rocky Shores

Meet our Keepers
Did you know that otters sleep wrapped up in kelp? That seals can waddle on land as well as swim? Our keepers give chats every day.
Daily Presentations
Find it
in the zoo
Follow the arrows past the Pacific Seas Aquarium to find the winding path to Rocky Shores and then continue on to visit the Arctic Tundra.
Plan your day

Meet Our Animals

Walrus
California sea lion
Sea otter
Harbor seal
Puffin
Penguin
Otterly playful
Anything will do.
Libby's favorite toy is a rectangular item from a kid's playhouse. Clara loves a ball.
But both of them love the large purple boomer ball - or just snuggling with each other.
Preening with penguins
All in a day's work.
On a sunny day staff biologists sat in the penguin habitat with a penguin gently pecking them.
While animal care staff scratched the penguin's back, the penguin preened them in return, enjoying the company while other penguins were sitting on eggs.

Protecting Marine Animals

Don't mess with our ocean.

THE THREAT: All marine animals and birds are at risk from ocean threats. Plastic trash chokes and starves; oil spills kill; and overfishing and climate change reduce food.

TAKE ACTION: We can all help protect our oceans by reducing our use of plastic. Bring a reusable water bottle to the Zoo. Skip the straw. Pack lunch sustainably. And tell your friends.

Shore Stories

10 Wonderful Walrus Facts

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

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Bilingual Walruses: French 101

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

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TUFTED PUFFIN CHICKS HATCHED

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

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More Water-loving Animals
Looking for more water-loving animals? Visit green sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, spotted eagle rays and more in our nearby Pacific Seas Aquarium!