Explore the Shore

If you thought Spring Training was over, guess again! It’s still underway at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The animals and keepers at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater are preparing for their popular summer show, “Extraordinary Creatures and How to Care for Them.” The show returns May 4 and runs daily at 11:30 a.m. Beginning June 17th, the show will run daily at both 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater keepers are working with the animals on…

Polar bear twins Astra and Laerke, both 3-years-old, received wellness exams in March (on different days). The exams were the first time the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium veterinarians and keepers could examine the sisters under anesthesia since they first arrived in June 2023. The bears were anesthetized in their behind-the-scenes bedrooms and then carefully moved to the zoo’s animal hospital, where the healthcare team could perform thorough physical exams. While the bears were under anesthesia, their vitals were monitored…

Moea, the 14-year-old sea otter, recently received her routine wellness exam. While under anesthesia, the rescued sea otter was weighed, x-rayed, and given a full dental exam and cleaning. Veterinarian Dr. Kadie Anderson checked Moea’s eyes and nose, listened to her heart and lungs and examined her body. Sea otters are vital for the health of coastal ecosystems, particularly kelp forests like those in Puget Sound and Monterey Bay. They love to eat the purple sea urchins that would otherwise…