Protect the Pacific Northwest
Protect the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is home to diverse ecosystems and wildlife found nowhere else. At Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, we’re actively involved in conservation efforts that protect these natural systems and the species that depend on them.
From monitoring Puget Sound to studying wildlife in our own communities, our work helps support long-term conservation across the region.
Puget Sound is a vital ecosystem for marine life in the Pacific Northwest. Our conservation efforts help monitor and protect these waters, including work like bull kelp surveys that support habitat health and biodiversity.
Conservation starts with community. Through hands-on programs, we invite people to take part in real research, from tracking larval crabs to observing swallows and studying urban wildlife.
These efforts help us better understand local ecosystems while connecting people directly to conservation work.
Wildlife is all around us, even in our cities. Through projects like the Grit City Carnivore Project, we study how animals live alongside people and how we can support safe, sustainable coexistence. We are partnering with University of Washington, Tacoma and Northwest Trek on a citizen science project by reporting sightings of carnivores like coyotes and raccoons in the Tacoma area on the iNaturalist app.
Conservation starts here
Protecting wildlife in the Pacific Northwest is part of a larger effort to care for species and ecosystems everywhere. By understanding and protecting what’s close to home, we can make a lasting impact.
Explore more of our conservation work.