Zoo News

CLARA THE SEA OTTER MAKES DEBUT She’s calm and patient – and loves participating in training and enrichment sessions with her keepers. Clara, the newest southern sea otter, made her … Continued

Sunny and temperatures above 75 isn’t just the perfect weather for humans, it’s exactly the weather Clyde the savannah monitor lizard thrives in. Clyde, a juvenile lizard, arrived at the … Continued

Cho Cho, born in 1967 and believed to be the oldest siamang in human care in the United States and possibly the world, was humanely euthanized at Point Defiance Zoo … Continued

Birth marks major milestone for zoos and aquariums worldwide A spotted eagle ray pup is flourishing off-exhibit at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Born in April, the male pup marks … Continued

Splashing water and excited conversation filled the air behind the scenes of Baja Bay in the Pacific Seas Aquarium as veterinary staff and aquarists gathered for the annual exams of … Continued

If you have children at home, it’s likely you’ve heard the song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from the Disney movie Encanto. And if you don’t have children, you may … Continued

Did you know that Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to the largest jellyfish display in Oregon and Washington. And now we have even more! Upside down jellyfish are … Continued

“I love Tippy and Tippy loves me.” Meet Liam Parnell. He’s a sweet boy who really, really loves sharks, especially the blacktip reef shark at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium … Continued

If Dr. Karen Wolf needs another skilled set of hands for a polar bear procedure, she knows who to call. And if Dr. Allison Case has a beaver or owl … Continued

After six sets of teeth and one additional molar, Suki the Asian elephant has lost her final tooth. Suki is extraordinary. At 57, she is a senior elephant and has … Continued

Splashing water and excited conversation filled the air behind the scenes of Baja Bay in the Pacific Seas Aquarium as veterinary staff and aquarists gathered for the annual exams of … Continued

What takes up to 10 hands, a calm demeanor, incredible skill … and maybe a little luck? Try drawing blood from a snake. Unlike some species, snakes don’t have visible … Continued

Five healthy red wolf pups were born at our off-site facility in Eatonville in early May. Adorable and growing fast, the pups are the latest success in the story of … Continued

More than 650 observers took part in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish and any place in between! Between April … Continued

Team from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium tracks data-deficient species in Hawaii It wasn’t the typical warm, clear March afternoon off the island of Hawaii, but Point Defiance Zoo & … Continued

On Friday, November 5, federal, state, tribal and partner biologists released five fishers from Alberta, Canada into the lush, coastal forest near Lake Ozette, the latest event in a nearly … Continued

National Zookeeper Week takes place July 17-23 this year. The week is devoted to sharing the passion and dedication of keepers. Our zookeepers and aquarists are a dedicated group of … Continued

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Suzanne, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Suzanne works with the animals at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater. We asked her about her … Continued

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Margaret, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Margaret helps care for Suki the elephant, our two muskoxen Hudson and Charlotte, and three of … Continued

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Jarek, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Jarek works with the animals at Kids’ Zone. He is also the coordinator of the Association … Continued

Tomatoes. Apples. Almonds. Pumpkin. Coffee. Tea. Chocolate. All pretty important, right? And they all have one thing in common: they need pollinators. Around 1,000 plants that humans use for food, … Continued

Heavy as velvet, a bumblebee bounces over yellow coneflower petals. Next door a golden honeybee dives headfirst into a red salvia blossom to sip. And across the pathway, a hummingbird … Continued

It’s one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. It’s used for buildings, dishes, musical instruments. It’s food for animals and people. And there are over 45 types at Point … Continued

Missing travel? While the coronavirus pandemic has made global vacations more dream than reality, Puget Sound-area folks have an option right on their doorstep: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, where … Continued

Just above floor level at the Red Wolf Woods habitat, a young girl crouches low. Open-mouthed in wonder, she slowly runs her fingers over the soft snout of a sleeping … Continued

Zookeepers and the animals they love What’s the animal you feel most deeply inside? The one you connect with, love, relate to, share traits with? For National Zookeeper Week 2021, … Continued

UPDATE: Now over. Thanks for visiting! Q: Where in the world would you find an elephant, a sea turtle and an axolotl all together? A: In Species in the Sand, … Continued

UPDATE: May 1, 2019 We did it! We made 3,600 paper turtles, glueing them onto ten blue silk “waves” to create a cascading spiral of ocean beauty in the Pacific … Continued

Santa has made his way to Tacoma all the way from the North Pole and has brought his scuba equipment with him. “Santa Under the Sea” is one of two … Continued

Festive and bright holiday magic returns with Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium this Friday, Nov. 26 and runs through Jan. 2. The South Sound tradition will boast more … Continued

Get your Zoolights tickets here You can’t set up 800,000 LED lights overnight! It takes time. Months, actually. The Zoolights crew at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium spends all of … Continued

Get your timed online tickets now for the longest-running light show in the region! Zoolights is back at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Nov. 26-Jan. 2 (closed Dec. 24 & … Continued