Party for Polar Bears

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 Shores keeper Stephanie Rager joined conservation non-profit Polar Bears International (PBI) on a unique field experience to learn about polar bear conservation firsthand. Point Defiance Zoo is a certified Arctic Ambassador Center and a leader in polar bear research and conservation, working with PBI and other partners to help study…

This morning, one-year-old muskox Willow was officially introduced to one-year-old Pretzel in the large Tundra habitat, and it was a success! Willow and Pretzel have been seen grazing and exploring together, and their introduction has added a vibrant dynamic to the habitat. Willow’s parents, Charlotte and Hudson, observed the introduction nearby in their own space. As the young muskoxen grow, staff plans to have all four muskoxen eventually share the same Arctic Tundra habitat at times.  Our animal care…

SVEN UPDATE: JAN. 10 Our beloved Sven, the young Arctic fox who recently sustained a serious injury to his left knee, continues to show encouraging progress! Sven tore all the ligaments in his knee and damaged his meniscus, requiring surgery by veterinary surgeons Dr. Heiser and Dr. Okrasinski last month. A surgical pin was placed to stabilize his knee during the first procedure. We are happy to share that Sven has successfully undergone a follow-up procedure to remove the surgical…