Astra and Laerke, two polar bear cubs who have captivated much of the country since their births two years ago at the Detroit Zoo, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & … Continued

Nearly 800 observers took part in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish and any place in between. From April … Continued

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, announced today that two polar bear cubs, Astra and Laerke, will move to Point Defiance Zoo in spring … Continued

The bright-yellow school bus door opened, and the happy squeals and chatter couldn’t be contained. On this sunny spring morning, more than 200 students from Tacoma’s Lister Elementary School were … Continued

Collaborations with our community are an incredible opportunity to create meaningful connections. Tacoma students at Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and School of Industrial Design, … Continued

Each year Tacoma students from the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) participate in a day of service with Point Defiance Zoo. In previous years, students have helped shovel sand in … Continued

Volunteers are an essential part of our community at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, donating their valuable time, passion and expertise to the Zoo. In honor of National Volunteer Week, … Continued

It’s that time of year again! Our Magellanic penguins have found their mates and are ready for nesting. In April, keepers observed our penguin pairs snuggling in their nests. It … Continued

Rescued turkey vulture Ruby V has arrived at her new home at Point Defiance Zoo! She is joining our Animal Ambassadors team at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theatre. Animal Ambassadors … Continued

Remy the Siamang is making his debut! Remy, a six-year-old siamang born at the Los Angeles Zoo, will be a companion for Dudlee, our female Siamang. Dudlee lost her long-term … Continued

Written by Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson Nutmeg, our 16-year-old female beaver and mother to Butternut, recently visited the Zoo vet for her annual physical exam. During the exam, Associate Veterinarian … Continued

Clouded leopard Orchid recently received her routine wellness exam, which included x-rays, an ultrasound, dental cleaning, vaccination boosters and blood and urine collection for testing. Orchid lives with her brother, … Continued

There’s a new tiger in town! An 11-year-old male Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv (pronounced sun-jeev) recently made his debut at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.  The 286-pound male tiger … Continued

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

Another year is in the books! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium provided a new home for many animals this year, including Damaraland mole rats and walruses Balzak and Lakina. The … Continued

Lakina, our new female walrus, wears custom-made crowns to help protect her two tusks. Lakina did an excellent job holding still long enough for one of her crowns to be … Continued

They were born just weeks apart six years ago and have been closely bonded ever since. And now, the two young walruses have moved together from Aquarium du Québec to … Continued

Björn (pronounced bee-yorn), the sea lion, is definitely a fighter. The 11-year-old sea lion was rescued off the coast of southern California in December 2019 and brought to a rehabilitation … Continued

Black cats, pumpkins, ghosts… skulls and skeletons. They’re all symbols of the Halloween season. We asked Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s head veterinarian, Dr. Karen Wolf, to give us an … Continued

The Zoo is now home to eight new Damaraland mole rats. They join two other resident mole rats at Animal Avenue in Kids’ Zone. Funny-looking. Squirmy. Strange. Those are some … Continued

Inspired to give your own pet an enriching treat these holidays? “Enrichments are a big part of caring for an animal,” explains Sara Mattison, staff biologist at the Wild Wonders … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is now home to a new rescued Arctic fox named Sven. Guests can meet the three-year-old fox in the newly renovated fox habitat in the … Continued

Suki the elephant celebrates her 58th birthday this September. We caught up with Elephant Manager Shannon to learn what she believes are Suki’s secrets to a long life. Shannon has … Continued

The zoo is currently home to three 3-month-old baby opossums, known as a joeys. Two of the joeys will soon be moved to other zoos accredited by the Association of … Continued

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

Blizzard, a beloved polar bear who inspired generations of guests from across the Puget Sound region and around the world to care about his species, was humanely euthanized at Point … Continued

“Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them,” a brand-new animal show debuts May 7 at the Zoo’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater. We watched the show’s superstars – keepers and … Continued