Wild, rare, and right here at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium: we’re home to more than just your typical zoo animals. We proudly care for some of the most unique and rarely seen species in the country. Every animal listed here plays a vital role in global conservation, and we’re honored to share their stories with you. Here are just a few of the incredible species you won’t find at most other zoos:
Walruses
Point Defiance Zoo is one of only four U.S. zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) that have walruses, under authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our two Pacific walruses, Balzak (pronounced bell’-zik) and Lakina (pronounced la-kee’-na), were both born in 2016 just weeks apart. Lakina is the curious one, always eager to explore her surroundings, while Balzak is calm, observant, and incredibly patient. Both are smart and quick learners. In the wild, walruses haul out on polar ice in the frigid Arctic, but here, you’ll find our dynamic duo lounging or swimming in the Rocky Shores habitat.
Muskoxen
We’re the only AZA-accredited zoo in the United States that cares for muskoxen. These cold-weather survivors have roamed the Arctic tundra for thousands of years, grazing on mosses and grasses even in freezing temperatures. Our four muskoxen live in a large, open tundra habitat designed to reflect their natural environment: sparse, windswept, and treeless. In December 2024, we welcomed a new calf named Pretzel. She’s already bonded with Willow, a one-year-old muskox born at the zoo, and the two have become fast friends.
Polar Bears
Meet Astra and Laerke (pronounced LAIR-keh), our polar bear sisters and fan favorites. Both arrived at Point Defiance Zoo as two-year-old cubs and have grown into strong, spirited bears. We’re one of just 21 AZA-accredited zoos in the country with polar bears.
Astra is bold, independent, and always up for a swim or a challenge. Whether she’s solving enrichment puzzles or lounging in her saltwater pool, she’s constantly on the move. Laerke’s story is more complex. After surviving a medical emergency as a newborn, she was raised in human care and even spent time with an orphaned grizzly cub named Jebbie before coming to Tacoma. She’s gentle but resilient, with a quiet strength all her own.
American Red Wolves
Once nearly extinct, the American Red Wolf is one of the world’s most endangered canids. By the 1970s, only a handful remained in the wild. In response, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the 1980s to launch the nation’s first zoo-based breeding program, starting with just 14 wild individuals. That legacy continues today. Our off-site breeding facility in Eatonville is now home to the largest population of Red Wolves in the world.
Thanks to decades of conservation work, about 20 Red Wolves now live in the wild and roughly 270 reside in zoos and partner facilities. As part of the Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, we’re proud to support their future, but they still urgently need our protection.
Anoa
Don’t let their size fool you: anoa are the smallest wild cattle species on Earth. Native to the forests and swamps of Sulawesi, Indonesia, they may resemble goats, but they’re actually a rare type of buffalo.
Our anoa, Baby Bean, rotates through the Asian Forest Sanctuary habitats and serves as an ambassador for one of the world’s most endangered large mammals. Quiet and shy, anoa are rarely seen in zoos, and even more rarely in the wild.
