Skip to main content
Zoo News
Jun 05, 2023

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 & … Continued

May 31, 2023

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 … Continued

May 15, 2023

The bright-yellow school bus door opened, and the happy squeals and chatter couldn’t be contained. On this sunny spring morning, more than 200 students from Tacoma’s Lister Elementary School were … Continued

Apr 25, 2023

Collaborations with our community are an incredible opportunity to create meaningful connections. Tacoma students at Science and Math Institute (SAMi), School of the Arts (SOTA), and School of Industrial Design, … Continued

Apr 25, 2023

Each year Tacoma students from the Science and Math Institute (SAMI) participate in a day of service with Point Defiance Zoo. In previous years, students have helped shovel sand in … Continued

Apr 24, 2023

Volunteers are an essential part of our community at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, donating their valuable time, passion and expertise to the Zoo. In honor of National Volunteer Week, … Continued

Nov 08, 2022

“All right – who’s ready to go into the park and do some science?” “YEAH!!!!” The yell was impressive – but so was the quiet focus that followed as Ms. … Continued

Nov 06, 2022

Snakes! Armadillos! A kestrel! A few animals made their way (with keepers, of course!) to Tacoma Public Schools’ Lister Elementary in East Tacoma. The school was kicking off the first … Continued

Oct 19, 2022

Early on this crisp fall morning, Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is quiet and still. A jogger glides by in the distance; a deer grazes peacefully. The parking lot is empty at Point Defiance … Continued

Oct 17, 2022

It’s National Veterinary Technician Week Oct. 16-22, and we’re celebrating our wonderful veterinary technicians with a virtual thank-you card. Keepers, curators and veterinarians all weighed in to thank our superhero … Continued

Sep 07, 2022

Adriel Brewster knows most of the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium puffins by name. Gemma Duggins loves patting the goats. But for both teens, the biggest reward of being a … Continued

Jul 18, 2022

National Zookeeper Week takes place July 17-23 this year. The week is devoted to sharing the passion and dedication of keepers. Our zookeepers and aquarists are a dedicated group of … Continued

Jul 14, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Suzanne, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Suzanne works with the animals at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater. We asked her about her … Continued

Jul 14, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Margaret, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Margaret helps care for Suki the elephant, our two muskoxen Hudson and Charlotte, and three of … Continued

Jul 14, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Jarek, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Jarek works with the animals at Kids’ Zone. He is also the coordinator of the Association … Continued

Jul 13, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Mark, an aquarist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Mark works with the animals in the Pacific Seas Aquarium. We asked him about his experiences … Continued

Jul 13, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Heather, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Heather works with the animals in the Asian Forest Sanctuary. We asked her about her experiences … Continued

Jul 13, 2022

This Zookeeper Week, we shadowed Kelsie, a zookeeper at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Kelsie works with the animals in the Rocky Shores / Arctic Tundra habitats. We asked her … Continued

May 31, 2022

“It’s a beautiful day!” said Roosevelt Elementary kindergarten teacher Melissa Pick. After a spring downpour the day before, teachers, chaperones and the 114 students alike were delighted for a sunny, … Continued

Apr 26, 2022

Go beyond the typical Mother’s Day gifts and give mom a memorable experience she can enjoy with the whole family this year. Get up close to a moose, pet a … Continued

Apr 18, 2022

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we’d like to thank our irreplaceable volunteers for their time and energy all year-round. “I appreciate our volunteers for their exceptional hard work and … Continued

Apr 15, 2022

  It’s a chilly spring morning at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, but Shana Osmer doesn’t let that faze her. Entering the Pacific Seas Aquarium through a staff door, she … Continued

Apr 15, 2022

Metro Parks Tacoma’s Dickman Mill Park and groundbreaking nature science education curriculum Wildlife Champions have won 2022 Spotlight Awards from the Washington Recreation & Park Association (WRPA). The awards, open … Continued

Apr 01, 2022

For the fourth consecutive year, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park are certified as sensory-inclusive venues by a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing understanding, acceptance, and … Continued

Jan 19, 2022

Love animals? Care about conservation? Become a volunteer at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and inspire others to make protecting wildlife a priority. The zoo is accepting applications through Feb. … Continued

Nov 17, 2021

After-school enrichment program takes Tacoma Public Schools students on a Veterans Day field trip to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – despite the rain. Even pouring rain couldn’t dampen the … Continued

Oct 20, 2021

“I love Tippy and Tippy loves me.” Meet Liam Parnell. He’s a sweet boy who really, really loves sharks, especially the blacktip reef shark at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium … Continued

Sep 23, 2021

Russell Pharr, a staff biologist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK). AAZK supports zookeepers … Continued

Sep 21, 2021

Heavy as velvet, a bumblebee bounces over yellow coneflower petals. Next door a golden honeybee dives headfirst into a red salvia blossom to sip. And across the pathway, a hummingbird … Continued

Jul 22, 2021

Zookeepers and the animals they love What’s the animal you feel most deeply inside? The one you connect with, love, relate to, share traits with? For National Zookeeper Week 2021, … Continued