Press releases
Recent Releases
Malayan Tapir Yuna expecting calf in fall 2024
September 6: Yuna, a 9-year-old Malayan tapir at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, is estimated to be 10 to 12 months pregnant. Yuna’s partner, 9-year-old Baku, is the father.
Labor Day weekend animal events at Pierce county zoos
August 28: Celebrate Labor Day weekend surrounded by wildlife from August 31 to September 2 at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. The sister zoos will mark the unofficial end of summer with engaging events for the entire family.
United efforts bring hope to orphaned pacific walrus calf in Alaska
August 26: Five organizations from around the United States have come together to provide care to an orphaned Pacific walrus calf receiving rehabilitative care at the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) in Seward, Alaska, in hopes of giving her a second chance at life.
Sea lion pup makes public debut at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
August 20: Guests to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium can now see Pepper, the California sea lion born June 6, in the Rocky Shores seal and sea lion habitat.
Point Defiance Zoo mourns loss of beloved elephant Suki
August 11: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium said goodbye to one of its oldest and most beloved residents, Suki the Asian elephant, in August 2024.
Eye-to-Eye Shark Dives now on sale at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
August 7: Tickets for the popular Eye-to-Eye Shark Dives are now on sale. The program returns on August 21. The experience allows guests to get eye-to-eye underwater with more sharks and fish than ever before in the newly remodeled Tropical Reef Aquarium’s Outer Reef habitat while discovering the delight and wonder of meeting sharks up close and learning how we can protect sharks in their ocean habitats.
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Celebrate tigers, clouded leopards, and more at Wild Cat Weekend August 3-4
July 30: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is celebrating Sumatran tigers, clouded leopards, and more during Wild Cat Weekend, August 3-4, with family fun activities that highlight how to protect cats in the wild.
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The votes are in: meet Pepper!
July 10: Meet Pepper, a one-month-old sea lion pup at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Adoring fans voted online for her name, chosen from a slate of four names offered by keepers at the Tacoma zoo.
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July 2: Take a journey underwater on July 13-14 and explore Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s two vibrant aquariums to celebrate Sharks & Rays weekend.
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Sea lion pup born at Point Defiance Zoo
June 18: There’s a new set of flippers at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium! Keepers in the Rocky Shores area of the zoo are celebrating the birth of a female California sea lion pup born on June 6.
Celebrate Pride at Pierce County sister zoos
June 17: Sister zoos Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash., and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville, Wash., are hosting Pride celebrations on June 22 and June 23.
Six penguin chicks hatched at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
June 11: Penguin Point is chick-central! Six penguin chicks successfully hatched in late May at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and are being closely monitored by their parents, keepers, and veterinary staff.
2024 City Nature Challenge breaks records
May 15: Nearly 900 observers participated in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish, and any place in between.
Tropical Reef Aquarium to open June 14
May 7: The Tropical Reef Aquarium will reopen June 14, after extensive restoration and repair of critical animal-care structures, habitats, and life support systems. The aquarium is an oasis of warm-water marine beauty, with vibrant, tropical fish and new shark additions in a refreshed space.
New goat kids arrive at the zoo
April 30: Seven new goat kids arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in late April and are settling into their new home. You can hear their adorable noises throughout the Kids’ Zone area.
City Nature Challenge returns April 26
April 16: How many species can you spot and record? The annual global City Nature Challenge returns April 26-April 29 and asks everyone to become a scientist for an hour, a day, however long they have.
Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater show and Bugs Alive! return May 4-5
April 10: The animals at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater are training for the return of their show, May 4-5. Plus, Bugs Alive! returns the same weekend.
Apply to be a youth volunteer guide at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Dec. 5: Applications are now open for high school students to become summer Zoo Guide volunteers at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Tacoma students engage with wildlife on field trip to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Dec. 4: Lister Elementary students take a field trip to Northwest Trek as part of the Wildlife Champions program.
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New field trip initiative for Tacoma Public Schools students
Nov. 21: Metro Parks Tacoma is hosting thousands of children from three grades at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma Nature Center, and Point Defiance Park.
9 wildly fun holiday gift ideas
Nov. 7: For the holidays this year, consider gifting those close to you something wildly fun to experience together at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium or Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.
Free admission for Veterans to Point Defiance Zoo & Northwest Trek
Nov. 2: U.S. military veterans are invited to enjoy Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo for free on Nov. 11.
Celebrate polar bears in November
Oct. 30: We think polar bears are so extraordinary we’ve decided to celebrate them with not one but two public events in November at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Oct. 24: It’s almost Zoolights time and you can get your timed online tickets now.
Working to recover critically endangered Red Wolves
Oct. 5: The Tacoma zoo has been a national leader in bringing this critically endangered species back from the brink of extinction since the 1970s.
Accreditation received by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Sept. 29: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium earned kudos and another five years of accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in September.
The votes are in: guests name muskox calf “Willow”
Sept. 26: Meet Willow, a fuzzy, two-week-old muskox calf at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Celebrating Suki: the queen of the barn
Sept. 14: Guests are invited to join Suki’s birthday festivities as she celebrates her 59th birthday this weekend, Sept. 22-24.
Sept. 20: 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 Puget Sound chapter for their anti-wildlife trafficking display at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Sept. 14: Voting is now open for our community to choose the name of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s newest baby animal- a female muskox calf.
Sept. 8: Charlotte the muskox gave birth to a female calf Thursday morning at Point Defiance Zoo. The day-old calf appears to be healthy, sticking closely to mom.
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Exciting weekend of animal events at Pierce County zoos
Aug 28: Watch animals feast on their favorite foods at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and
enjoy icy treats at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Sept. 2-4
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Malia Somerville named General Curator
Aug 9: Malia Somerville, a lifelong zoologist with a deep understanding and passion for animal wellbeing, is the newly named General Curator for Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
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It’s time to ROAR at World Tiger Weekend
July 24: It’s time to roaaaarrr! Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is celebrating its three endangered Sumatran tigers at the annual World Tiger Weekend event July 29 and July 30.
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Introducing twin polar bear cubs Astra and Laerke
June 5: Two-year-old sisters to make their public debut June 15 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
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Hundreds of local community scientists participated in City Nature Challenge
May 31: More than 1,400 species identified in Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area.
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May 16: Astra and Laerke, who have called the Detroit Zoo home since 2020, will move to Point Defiance Zoo this spring.
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Learn about beach animals during Tacoma events
May 10: Ever wondered what it’s like to run a finger over the back of a prickly pink sea star? Find out at a low tide event this summer at Owen Beach and Titlow Beach in Tacoma.
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Jan. 5: An 11-year-old male Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv (pronounced sun-jeev) will make his public debut at the Zoo on Friday, Jan. 6 at 9:30 am.
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