Press releases
Recent Releases
Male sea lion pup born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
June 10: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is celebrating the birth of a male California sea lion pup born June 1 to Eloise, marking only the second California sea lion pup born in the zoo’s 121-year history.
June 8: This fall, the forests and pathways of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park will become the stomping grounds for giants.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek announce summer events lineup
June 1: This summer, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park invite guests to celebrate wildlife, community, and unforgettable outdoor experiences with a vibrant lineup of events and activities.
Three Magellanic penguin chicks hatch at Point Defiance Zoo
May 27: Three Magellanic penguin chicks are healthy and thriving at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium after successfully hatching earlier this month, marking an exciting milestone in the zoo’s ongoing penguin conservation efforts.
Free guided tidepool programs return to Tacoma beaches
May 11: Community members are invited to explore the wonders of local marine life through two free, family-friendly beach programs at Point Defiance Park and Titlow Beach.
Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater show returns May 2, 2026
April 28: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is bringing back its Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater
spring/summer show, “Zoo’s Got Mail,” launching May 2.
Rescued, blind harbor seal finds new home at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
March 24: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is welcoming a new resident to its Rocky Shores habitat: Onion, an 11-year-old male harbor seal, who recently arrived from Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
2026 Parks Tacoma bond would invest in modern wildlife habitats and conservation
March 23: 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 Eatonville.
Otter pup to make public debut this weekend at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
February 19: A three-month-old Asian small-clawed otter pup named Bao will make his public debut this weekend, Feb. 21-22, in the Asian Forest Sanctuary at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium welcomes two critically endangered Red Wolves
January 29: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is excited to announce the arrival of two critically endangered American Red Wolves, Bronto (male) and River (female), who are joining the Zoo’s Red Wolf Woods habitat as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) SAFE American Red Wolf program.
Love at the Zoo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
January 22: Round up your loved ones and celebrate Valentine’s Day at Love at the Zoo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Feb. 14-15. Watch as animals big and small enjoy special Valentine’s enrichments such as ice, plants, and heart-shaped treats.
Double otter news: new male arrives and pup is born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
December 18: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is celebrating exciting milestones for its Asian small-clawed otter family: the arrival of a new male otter, Yuki, and the recent birth of a healthy otter pup to another resident pair.