Pride Celebration

Astra and Laerke, two polar bear cubs who have captivated much of the country since their births two years ago at the Detroit Zoo, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Friday evening. The twin sisters are settling into their new Tacoma home and will make their public debut Thursday, June 15. “These exceptional bears have captured the hearts of millions of people across the country with their heartwarming stories,” said Malia Somerville, interim general curator for Point Defiance Zoo.…

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 28 through May 1, community scientists submitted 10,057 nature observations and identified 1,437 species, showing the world the incredible biodiversity in the region’s home turf. That’s the region’s all-time record! “This year we had more observers participate, more observations made and more species identified in the Seattle-Tacoma area than we…

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 2023.  The transfer is being conducted per recommendations by Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) polar bear population experts. As with all recommendations, zoos collaborate to ensure the best possible outcomes for the animals. These recommendations support the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically varied polar bear population,…