A litter of nine healthy American Red Wolf pups was born on April 18 to first-time mom Violet, and dad, Fiddle, at the shared off-site breeding facility operated by … Continued

Parks Tacoma’s 2026 bond proposal would bring significant new investments to two of the region’s wildlife destinations: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in … Continued

A welcome mat is being laid out along Ruston Way for purple martins. The dark purple and blue birds – North America’s largest swallows – have historically had a thriving … Continued

Update: June 2026 Big things are happening for the zebra shark pups descended from our shark pair, Peanut and Butter! Through our partnership with global conservation coalition ReShark, healthy zebra … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s American Red Wolf sisters, Peat and Willow, recently left the zoo in a critical move for conservation. The pair was transferred to the zoo’s off-site … Continued

Every fall, the small town of Churchill, Manitoba, transforms into the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” as wild bears gather along the shores of Hudson Bay. This October, Rocky … Continued

 In a groundbreaking moment for conservation, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has successfully produced seven viable zebra shark (Indo-Pacific leopard shark) eggs that are now headed to the wild. … Continued

Just down the road from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, along the docks of the Point Defiance Marina, a dedicated team of zoo staff and volunteers are playing a vital … Continued

It’s a spring season full of chirps at the Point Defiance Marina, where conservation efforts are paying off in the form of vibrant, swooping purple martins—North America’s largest swallows and … Continued

More than 1,230 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

UPDATE: On April 16, 2025, bull kelp officially became the State Marine Forest of Washington as Governor Ferguson signed HB1631 into law. The bill was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, … Continued

A charismatic colony of purple martins along Ruston Way is moving. The dark purple and blue birds are North America’s largest swallow and often spotted among decrepit wooden poles at … Continued

Our massive, 14-foot-tall buggy (which felt more like a tank) traversed the rocky, lichen-laden tundra late into the arctic afternoon. Suddenly, a wild polar bear peeked over the willow branches, … Continued

When Asian Forest Sanctuary Assistant Curator Erin gives a tiger keeper chat at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, she often tells the crowd, “There are more people at the Zoo … Continued

RECORD NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, OBSERVATIONS, AND SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN 2024 SEATTLE-TACOMA CITY NATURE CHALLENGE Nearly 900 observers participated in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is honored to be OL Reign’s community partner in the 2023 Nationwide Community Impact Program, a season-long initiative promoting local service projects and led by … Continued

At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, it’s a big “howl yes!” for American red wolf conservation. The Tacoma zoo has been a national leader in bringing this critically endangered species … Continued

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and other local partners recently won the 2023 Certificate of Excellence in Public Service from the Public Relations Society of America … Continued

Checking in on Puget Sound’s Health How healthy is Puget Sound? What areas are showing declines, and which are holding steady? Those are the questions divers at Point Defiance Zoo … Continued

Arctic Sea Ice Day is July 15. It’s a day to draw attention to the rapidly melting Arctic ecosystem, why it matters, and how we can all help slow this … 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

The Red Wolf Recovery Program announced the birth of a new litter of wild American Red Wolf pups in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. A cross-fostered male pup, born at … Continued

Cindy Roberts, a former staff biologist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, recently received the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Nico van Strien Leadership in Conservation Award. Cindy was … Continued

An underwater crisis is happening, and there isn’t one apparent reason. Since the 1870s, South Puget Sound’s shorelines have lost about two-thirds of their bull kelp forests, according to a … Continued

Rocky Shores Staff Biologists Noelle and Maggie and Conservation Engagement Coordinator Zach weren’t walking into their typical jobs at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Instead, they volunteered to travel to … 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

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