Lions on the move

January 29, 2014, 8:00 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications


We can’t believe the time has already come to see our four young lions move on to the next stage of their lives. Born in November 2012, brothers Pelo and Rudo and sisters Busela and Nobuhle are now nearly the size of their mother, Adia. It’s hard not to think of them as our babies, but the foursome is maturing and getting closer to breeding age. This winter, each cub will be moving to a new home at an accredited zoo. This gives them the opportunity to pair up with new mates and eventually begin their own families through the Species Survival Plan conservation breeding program, while also making room for potential new cubs at Woodland Park Zoo.

The male cubs began growing in their manes last summer. Photo: Dennis Dow/WPZ

There are lots of comings and goings to keep track of as the pride reshapes over the next few weeks. Here’s what has been happening and what is coming up next:

Inside the crate is young male lion, Pelo, being loaded onto a cargo plane. The move went smoothly under the supervision of staff from Woodland Park Zoo and Henry Vilas Zoo. Photo by Christine Anne/Woodland Park Zoo.

Cubs on the move

Pelo was the first young lion to relocate. After the recent extreme weather across the country subsided, Pelo moved to his new home at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin this month. To ease the transition, Pelo traveled with a Woodland Park Zoo keeper and staff from Henry Vilas Zoo who ensured his safe arrival. When Pelo touched down on Wisconsin ground, he showed us very positive signs that he is already adjusting. He cooperated when unloading from his travel crate and ate his food on the evening he arrived, a good indicator that he’s comfortable in his new home.

The young lions have grown adventurous and independent. Photo: Dennis Dow/WPZ

Adjusting to change

How are mom Adia and the remaining cubs reacting to Pelo’s move? Zookeepers are pleased to see the lions are adjusting well. It’s typical for young male lions to begin to separate from the pride. We observed the lions searching around their exhibit when Pelo first left, which is normal behavior, but this only lasted for a few minutes. They have all remained calm through this experience.

Photo: Dennis Dow/WPZ

Last chance to see the cubs

If you want to squeeze in a visit to see the lions before the remaining youngsters leave, plan a trip this February. As moving large carnivores across the country is complex and requires extensive planning, we don’t yet have exact dates for when the others will move out to their new homes. It will likely be the week of February 17 that the other male, Rudo, heads off to El Paso Zoo in Texas, and the two sisters will move to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah by the second or third week of March.

Lion pair Hubert and Kalisa will move together to L.A. Zoo. Photo: Ryan Hawk/WPZ.

Changes with adult lion pairs

There are some changes coming for our adult lions too. The cubs’ father, Hubert, and his mate, Kalisa, will be heading to L.A. Zoo together. The bonded pair will likely be heading out in mid- to late-February. As Adia has proven to be an excellent mother, she’ll have the opportunity to breed with a new mate heading to Woodland Park Zoo from El Paso Zoo in March. This match allows us to mix up the genetic diversity of Adia’s offspring. We’re hoping to see sparks with the two, which may mean more cubs in the very near future!

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Zooper Bowl: Introducing the #Tallest12 and Legion of Boom

January 30, 2014, 12:05 pm

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Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications

Take your pic with the #Tallest12

Some of the shortest 12s pose with the #Tallest12. Photo: Caileigh Robertson/Woodland Park Zoo.

Wear your Seahawks gear and come pose with the #Tallest12. Photo: Caileigh Robertson/Woodland Park Zoo.

For Seahawks Twelfies, take selfies next to a cutout sign of Misawa, the zoo’s 6-month-old, 9-foot-tall giraffe, who is Seattle’s #Tallest 12 decked out in Seahawks colors. Take your pic with the cutout at the zoo's West Entrance and share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #Tallest12 to show the wild side of your Blue Pride. (Zoo admission is not required to take your photo, but remember—wearing your Seahawks gear gets you $3 off zoo admission through Sunday.)

Legion of Boom

The Legion of Boom. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

In honor of the Seahawks’ secondary, Woodland Park Zoo has named our four Asian small-clawed otter boys after the Legion of Boom. The pups, Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor and Maxwell, were born at the zoo last June and bring the boom on with high-sounding whistles, squeals and chirps. They can be seen playing defense in their Bamboo Forest Reserve exhibit, blocking crows left and right.

Click to watch a video of the otter pups defending their exhibit against crows. Video: Caileigh Robertson/Woodland Park Zoo.

A wager with Denver Zoo

A Woodland Park Zoo sea eagle can't wait to eat trout delivered by Denver Zoo after the Hawks win. Photo: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

We're so confident in our Hawks that we've placed a wager with Denver Zoo: When the Seahawks return with the Vince Lombardi trophy, a bird curator from Denver Zoo will hand deliver a case of trout to Woodland Park Zoo for our sea eagles and spend a day working with our animals while sporting a Seahawks jersey. On the off chance the Broncos win, a mammal curator from Woodland Park Zoo will hand deliver a case of apples to Denver Zoo’s Przewalski’s horses and spend a day working with the horses and elephants wearing a Broncos jersey. We say any bet where the animals come out as the winners in the end is a good one! And hey, Denver Zoo's bird curator? We can't wait to meet ya!

Take your sweetie to our Valentine's Day Celebration

February 5, 2014, 11:39 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

It may be all about the chocolate for you, but it's heart-shaped steaks, herbal bouquets and strawberry ice pops for the animals at Woodland Park Zoo's Valentine's Day Celebration coming up this Sat., Feb. 8, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Orangutan Chinta enjoys a fruity ice pop. Photo: Ryan Hawk/WPZ.

The sweet treats are designed to bring out the wild side of each animal, catered to their favorite flavors and the unique ways each likes to hunt, peck or dive into decadent treats. See the full schedule of enrichment activities to see which animals will be joining in.

If you are ready to plan a date with your special someone, send them a free Valentine e-card. We have lots of fun and flirty designs to choose from, inspired by the zoo's animals!

Choose from a selection of Valentine e-cards inspired by Woodland Park Zoo animals. Original photo by Dennis Dow/WPZ.

Bringing Tahitian snails back from extinction

February 7, 2014, 11:25 am

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Posted by: Gigi Allianic with Rebecca Whitham, Communications


We’re committed to putting an extinct snail species back on the map in its native Tahiti. But first, we’re putting it on the zoo map. What was once a behind-the-scenes conservation breeding program is now front and center for zoo visitors with the new snail lab on view near the zoo’s Bug World.

VIDEO: Extinct species making a comeback in Seattle. Produced by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Around 100 different species of Partula once existed on islands stretching across the South Pacific from Palau to French Polynesia, but due to the introduction of an invasive and carnivorous snail, Partula were reduced to about five species in less than 10 years in the 1980s. Before they vanished completely, scientists stepped in and collected small remnant populations of snails on the islands and sent these precious few to zoos for captive breeding. However, a survey conducted in 1987 on the island of Moorea could not locate a single living snail.

Photo by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo.

In 2003, Woodland Park Zoo joined the PartulaSpecies Survival Plan to begin breeding. “The new lab we have created provides a special and secure space for our work and optimal breeding conditions for the snails,” said Erin Sullivan, a collection manager at Woodland Park Zoo. “Thanks to the specialized care by zookeepers, our population hovers at a little more than 900 snails at any given time.”

Photo by Emily Schumacher/Woodland Park Zoo.

Unlike a typical brown garden snail, which lays hundreds of eggs each year, Partula give live birth to a single offspring every four to six weeks. Newborns are about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen and are very slow growing. Partula can live up to around five to six years.

“Most people probably wonder why we want to help save snails. Aren’t they pests?” said Sullivan. “Snails, believe it or not, serve an important role in their ecosystems. They eat and digest organic detritus, turning it into vital nutrients that enrich soil. Essentially, they’re nature’s clean-up crew!”

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of zoos, plans are underway to reintroduce Partula nodosa back to Tahiti in the next couple of years. The wildlife preserve, an approximately 20-meter square protected site, might just be the smallest wildlife preserve in the world, according to Sullivan.

The new Partula lab is visible to zoo guests during zoo hours. Guests can view the snails and the room where keepers could be preparing food, conducting a monthly census or cleaning out snail enclosures.

Beyond the lab, Woodland Park Zoo works to save these snails by supporting the Partula Recovery and Reintroduction Project through our Wildlife Survival Fund program. The recovery project's goal is to preserve and enhance the survival of all surviving endemic tree snail species of the family partulidae within their natural range in French Polynesia, and to re-establish, where feasible, the 11 species that currently exist only in the international conservation breeding programs like ours.

Snow day at Woodland Park Zoo

February 10, 2014, 3:11 pm

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications
Photos by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo


Most of the snow has already melted away, but thankfully we have these great photos to help us remember this weekend's winter wonderland!

The lion cubs discovered snow is the perfect landing pad for pounces.

The snow leopard is a natural in the snow with thick fur and a long tail that acts as a scarf when they need to tuck in and warm up.

The elephants chose to explore the snow throughout their exhibit.

Snow provides a new tactile sensation to an elephant's trunk.

Graceful cranes look especially beautiful in a snowy setting. 

In the center is a juvenile flamingo distinguished by its black and gray feathers that have not yet all turned to pink. Snow is a new experience for the young one.

Chilean flamingos are hardy birds that are built to withstand extremely cold winter nights in their native South American habitat.

Some animals look for shelter or heated spaces in the snow, while others head right into it. The Roosevelt elk enjoyed their snowy coated field.

The wolves of the Northern Trail disappeared into the snowy backdrop.

The Northern Trail is often the best place to see animals enjoying the snow.

We acquired a new temporary resident over the weekend, a snowman lovingly made by our visitors!

Four more otter pups join the family

February 11, 2014, 1:55 pm

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications


We got squeals, they’re multiplying.

Please help us welcome to the world four new Asian small-clawed otter babies that have been squealing and chirping away since their birth on January 20!

The new litter—three females and one male—is spending time in a behind-the-scenes den with mom Teratai and dad Guntur. This is the second litter of pups born to this pair, who famously gave birth to four boys last June just a month after debuting on exhibit in the new Bamboo Forest Reserve.

Video: The newest otter pups behind the scenes with mom, dad and their four brothers.

The four older brothers, Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor and Maxwell, have taken a lot of interest in the little pups. While mom nurses the newborns, the father and older brothers pitch in to provide supportive care.

The parents and the older siblings have daily access to the outdoor exhibit, but they are primarily choosing to stay indoors to be with the pups. Viewing in the exhibit will remain irregular for visitors while we give the family the chance to explore at their own pace. It will be a few months before the new pups can swim and safely navigate outdoors. Though Asian small-clawed otters are more terrestrial than other otters, they still head into water to find food just as they would in their native southern and southeastern Asian habitat.

Asian small-clawed otters head to water to find food. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Photos and video of the news pups are in short supply at this early stage while we try to remain as hands off as possible with the family, giving them the time and space they need to bond with and care for their newborns. Teratai and Guntur proved to be excellent parents with their first litter and we’re confident they’ll provide the same level of care for their new pups.

At birth, these otters—the smallest of the 13 otter species—typically weigh just 50 grams, no more than the weight of a golf ball. Born without the ability to see or hear, the pups depend on the nurturing care of both parents until they begin developing their senses, which is just now starting for them at 3 weeks of age.

We celebrate all births at Woodland Park Zoo, but it’s especially exciting when births represent hope for endangered or vulnerable species like the small-clawed otter. These births are planned as part of the Species Survival Plan, a conservation breeding program that unites Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos in the cooperative management of populations for the health of the species.

What threats are small-clawed otters facing in the wild? Loss of habitat, poaching, and reduced access to clean waterways threaten the species. When you adopt an otter through our ZooParent program, not only do you help take care of the otters living here, but $5 of your adoption fee goes directly to our field conservation efforts to protect habitat and save species around the world.

The orchid and the fungi: true love and mycorrhizal cheating

February 12, 2014, 11:04 am

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Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Photos by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo


With Valentine’s Day on the way, you might find yourself selecting flowers—perhaps a beautiful orchid—for your partner. But did you know orchids have their own partners?

Orchids and certain fungi share a symbiotic relationship. The idea of symbiosis, whose Greek roots mean “living” and “together,” sounds almost romantic. Yet when it comes to symbiosis—the relationship between two species in which one species is dependent on the other—not all is created equally (i.e. “It’s complicated.”)

Dendrobium speciosum in our Tropical Rain Forest exhibit.

If symbiosis were a box of chocolates (we’re really going hard with this Valentine’s Day theme), it would come in different flavors—some sweet, and some you want to spit out.

Mutualism is any relationship between individuals of different species where both individuals benefit.

Commensalism describes a relationship between two living organisms where one benefits and the other is not significantly harmed or helped.

A parasitic relationship is one in which one member of the association benefits while the other is harmed.

Amensalism is the type of relationship that exists where one species is inhibited or completely obliterated and one is unaffected.

Autumn Flowering Laelia, Laelia autumnalis

Miltassia sp.

For orchids, their complex symbiotic relationship is with certain fungi called mycorrhizae. Luckily for the orchid and the fungi, the symbiosis they share is a sweet one, mostly mutual. Orchid mycorrhiza is the symbiotic process wherein juvenile orchids rely on special fungal symbionts to supply them with carbohydrates and in exchange the fungi receive moisture and access to organic matter.

The roots of an orchid are full of moisture, and often surrounded by organic plant material—the perfect environment for fungi.

The majority of orchids grow in habitats where sunlight is limited (think shadowy mountainsides). Without sunlight it is nearly impossible for the orchids to produce chlorophyll (their version of Vitamin D). Because the orchids cannot produce enough chlorophyll, they depend on specific fungi to assist them. The fungi can digest organic matter that occurs in the surrounding area, converting it into simpler molecules such as sugar that the orchid can absorb.

Pansy orchid, Miltonia phalaenopsis

The young orchid is so reliant on the fungi that it must wait for the fungi to invade its seeds before the orchid even begins to germinate. During this invasion the fungi obtains nutrients from the host plant, while the orchid seeds receive a fungal energy boost (carbon). All orchids depend on mycorrhizae at some stage in their life-cycle.

Orchids rely on the fungus as they begin to grow, but as they mature some species begin to produce their own food source. Some orchids become photosynthetic, meaning they can produce their own organic carbon. While botanists are still researching this complex relationship, it appears that even orchids which are photosynthetic may still use the fungi as a back-up food source.

This all goes down between the root tissue of the plant and the mycelium of the fungus: hard to actually see, but very important!

The dangly root tissue of an orchid stretches out to find moisture, here in the zoo’s greenhouse you can see just how massive the roots appear.

What does the fungi get in return? Moisture and food. The mycorrhizae fungi digests vascular plant material found amongst the roots of an orchid. The fungus also keeps moist due to the water-rich root environment of the orchid.

A humid and moist environment is ideal for both orchids and fungi. Imagine how many awesome fungi live in the zoo’s greenhouse!

A fungus, such as the white material shown here on this compost heap, covers the roots of the orchid.

Wait, so what is the juicy gossip about mycorrhizal cheaters? It is simply an informal term that refers to a plant which skips the traditional photosynthetic processes and instead gets its food from fungi that grow nearby. The plant is “cheating” the traditionally known method of gathering nutrients.

Burrageara ‘Living Fire’. hybrid between Vuylstekeara Edna and Oncidium maculatum.

What can we learn from this highly exaggerated parallel between love and symbiosis? Give a little, get a little.

Happy Valentine’s Day from our fungi to yours.

Phalaenopsis pallens

Goat-horned Epidendrum, Epidendrum capricornu

Tracy's Cymbidium, Cymbidium tracyanum

Roses are red, 

Violets are blue.

Orchids and fungi,

A love so true!

Send a Valentine e-card to your friends

February 14, 2014, 9:07 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications


This Valentine's Day, tell your special someone that you love them and the environment by going paper-free and sending a Woodland Park Zoo e-card instead. Below is a peek at the card designs. Start building your Valentine e-card now.

Original photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Dale Unruh/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

Original photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

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Denver Zoo makes good on Super Bowl wager

February 15, 2014, 9:50 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

A case of trout is on its way to our sea eagles now that Denver Zoo has made good on its Super Bowl wager with us. We agreed to modify the wager so that instead of their bird curator, John Azua, hand delivering the trout while wearing a Seattle Seahawks jersey, he is heading off on a planned trip to South America to support condor conservation.

Denver Zoo bird curator, John Azua, congratulates the Seahawks. Photo courtesy of Denver Zoo.

Though we won’t meet John in person, the good sport posed for this photo. In the end, birds win—Seahawks, sea eagles and condors alike!

Tree kangaroo conservation coffee is back

February 19, 2014, 8:17 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications


Hello down there!

A tree kangaroo climbs up high in Woodland Park Zoo's Day Exhibit. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo is home to endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroos, native to the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea. From the trees, tree kangaroos can leap 60 feet to the ground without getting hurt. Don’t try this at home!

Picking coffee in Papua New Guinea. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

You can help protect tree kangaroos and their tree-top homes by looking for PNG YUS coffee, now back in stock at Caffe Vita thanks to a partnership with Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program. The conservation coffee supports eco-friendly livelihoods for the landowners that share tree ‘roo forests.

Citizen scientists on the search for amphibians

February 20, 2014, 11:52 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications


In Seattle’s scenic Carkeek Park, you might spend a lot of time looking out at the boats, across at the mountains or up at the clouds. But have you ever looked down? There’s a world teeming below your feet in the Carkeek wetlands, a world we’re just beginning to document with the help of volunteers through the Amphibian Monitoring Program, a Living Northwest citizen science project.

Video: Amphibian Monitoring with Citizen Scientists. Produced by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo.

The citizen scientists have all signed up for a 6-month stint, committing to do monthly monitoring sessions in local wetlands of their choice to help document the presence of native and non-native amphibians. Carkeek Park serves as a training ground for new volunteers.

At the Carkeek Park practice session, citizen scientists use an AquaScope to peer underwater without disturbing wildlife. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Amphibian Monitoring is offered through Woodland Park Zoo’s Living Northwest program, in partnership with Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Northwest Trek, and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Going on the third year of this citizen science effort, volunteers work in teams to survey ponds and wetlands in King and Snohomish Counties. In 2013, amphibian egg masses, tadpoles, or adult individuals were identified at 13 of the 17 monitored sites. In 2014, 16 teams will monitor 19 sites, including Seattle Parks, WDFW Lands, North Seattle Community College, and Snohomish County mitigation sites.

Volunteers found and identified egg masses of the long-toed salamander during their practice session. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Participants upload their data to WDFW’s Wildlife Observations website, which will help wildlife biologists understand the population patterns of our local amphibians and how human impacts affect them. The more we can learn about where amphibians live, when they breed, and how many can be sustained at a site, the better we can help WDFW inform important land use decisions that could impact the health and survival of Washington’s wetlands.

The citizen scientists include families from local communities and teen volunteers, seen here, from the zoo’s ZooCorps program. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Training is important for citizen scientists to make sure the data is reliable and the biosecurity of these wildlife areas is maintained. If you want to get involved with the Amphibian Monitoring Program, join the 2015 waiting list for the chance to become a citizen scientist.

Keep Puget Sound Clean: Make it hippo-poo free

February 24, 2014, 10:11 am

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Posted by: Laura Lockard, Director of Public Affairs and Communications


Friends, we need your help! We have an opportunity to clean up Puget Sound by making a major difference here at the zoo—using green technology to keep hippo waste from overflowing into local waterways. It’ll take the support of the state legislature to get us there, so we’re asking you to raise your voice and let Capital Budget Chairs, Rep. Hans Dunshee and Sen. Jim Honeyford and their committees know you support this effort!

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Here is what’s at stake:

Woodland Park Zoo is asking the state legislature to help with our commitment to sustainability and resource management in the Puget Sound area by requesting state capital funding for our priority sustainability project: reducing water waste from the zoo's hippo pool in the African Savanna exhibit. With an approximately $2 million state investment, completion of the hippo pool project would accomplish the following:

• Use green technologies to clean and recycle water instead of emptying and refilling, saving 6 million gallons of water annually—about 15 percent of the zoo’s total water use.
• Reduce operating costs by $150,000 annually with the reduction in waste
• Protect the Puget Sound from waste water runoff
• Learn more

Ready to take action?

Please sign the call to action letter below and we will deliver your signature to Capital Budget Chairs, Rep. Hans Dunshee and Sen. Jim Honeyford and their committees.

Sign the letter of support

Thank you for taking action to support Woodland Park Zoo and protect the Puget Sound! To stay up to date with zoo action alerts, join ZooAction to receive email alerts.

Spring Fecal Fest starts today

February 28, 2014, 3:38 pm

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Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications

Zoo Doo compost is ready for Spring Fecal Fest. Photo by Ryan Hawk/WPZ.

Get your hands on the most desired poop in Seattle. Woodland Park Zoo’s Spring Fecal Fest is here. The annual poop event attracts local gardeners to enter the lottery to purchase the exotic, highly-coveted Zoo Doo and Bedspread that Dr. Doo, also known as the “Prince of Poo,” the “GM of BM” or the “Grand Poopah,” has been piling all winter. Entries are accepted through March 17.

What goes in must come out, and what comes out is great for your garden! Photo credits: Elephant by Dennis Dow/WPZ, Giraffe by Ryan Hawk/WPZ, Zebra by Ryan Hawk/WPZ, Oryx by Dennis Dow/WPZ, Hippo by Mat Hayward/WPZ.

Pick up where the animals left off. Zoo Doo is the richest, most prized compost in the Pacific Northwest. Composed of species feces contributed by the zoo’s non-primate herbivores such as elephants, hippos, giraffes and more, Zoo Doo is perfect to grow your veggies and annuals.

Bedspread, the zoo’s premium composted mulch, is a combination of Zoo Doo, sawdust, and large amounts of wood chips. Bedspread is used to cushion perennial beds and woody landscapes including rose beds, shrubs and pathways.

Do you use Zoo Doo to keep your garden growing green? Submit a photo of your Zoo Doo-grown garden and we may feature it on our Zoo Doo webpage.

Thrive with us at annual breakfast

March 6, 2014, 8:00 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Here mountains grasp at the clouds, waterways flow across the distance, forests burst from the earth, and shrub-steppe stretches beyond the horizon. The Pacific Northwest has a global reputation for its scenic beauty and relative wildness. We connect with nature all around us. Those connections run deep, as our everyday choices have an impact: the way we store our garbage could mean life or death for bears, and the way we tend to our gardens can help or harm native pollinators.

Grizzlies at Woodland Park Zoo. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo; modified.

On March 19, join us for our annual Thrive breakfast, co-chaired by Maryanne Tagney and Margie Wetherald at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, to learn how your Woodland Park Zoo is working with communities, researchers and conservationists through the Living Northwest conservation program to study, preserve and protect the wonders of the Northwest, finding ways for us all to coexist with the wildlife around us.

Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Living Northwest combines conservation projects that focus on native species restoration, habitat protection, research, wildlife education and human-wildlife conflict mitigation across the region—strategies that improve the health of our wildlife populations, ecosystems and communities. Chris Morgan, the founder of Western Wildlife Outreach (formerly Grizzly Bear Outreach Project) —a Living Northwest collaborator—will join us as guest speaker at Thrive.

Guest speaker Chris Morgan. Photo copyright of Brenda Phillips.

Chris has more than 20 years of experience working as a wildlife researcher, guide and educator on every continent where bears exist. Chris has also appeared in numerous television specials, including PBS NATURE's Siberian Tiger Quest and Bears of the Last Frontier, BBC/Discovery's Great Bear Stakeout, and Wildlife Media's BEARTREK, a global campaign and independent feature documentary for bear conservation. Thrive guests will learn more about Chris's adventures, which have taken him around the world in search of the planet's most fascinating carnivores.

See you at Thrive! Photo by Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo.

Admission to Thrive is complimentary and all are welcome to attend. You can help us keep Thrive free by making a donation. Register for the breakfast and get ready to Thrive with us.

Jaguar triplets about to turn one

March 13, 2014, 1:43 pm

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

The big “1” is just around the corner for the jaguar cubs.

The adventurous cubs explore the exhibit. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

That’s right, Kuwan, Arizona and Inka turn 1 year old next week on March 22. A lot has happened for these cubs in just one year, like:

Babies’ first day outside

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Babies’ first swim

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Babies’ first snowman

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

They may still be little ones in our hearts, but the truth is, we’re not dealing with babies anymore. Looking to the natural history of the jaguar, by one year of age cubs are typically ready to leave their mom. They may stay with their siblings for a time as they mature, and then ultimately they move on to a solitary lifestyle.

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Providing the best care for growing animals means looking for clues to know when they are ready for natural next steps. Keepers have been observing the jaguars closely and we have seen in recent weeks that not only are the cubs fully independent of mom, but mom is clearly ready for some quality alone time!

Nayla is ready for some quality alone time. Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

That means it’s time to readjust their living arrangements to give them the social independence they need. We have restructured their grouping so now mom rotates on exhibit independently, alternating with the young trio who rotate on exhibit together. Dad Junior is living in an outdoor exhibit behind the scenes for now while we make these transitions.

In the long-term, the cubs will mature into solitary adults and need to move on from each other as well.  The work has already begun to identify new zoo homes for each of the young jaguars. As a conservation zoo, we collaborate with other accredited zoos through an Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ (AZA) program called the Species Survival Plan that allows us to work together to save species at the population level while planning for the lives of each animal at the individual level. The conservation work continues in the field through our Jaguar Conservation Fund, which supports research and targets threats that put pressure on wild jaguar populations.

The male cub, Kuwan, will be the first to move out on his own, heading off to Zoo de Granby, Quebec this summer.  New homes will also be identified for the female cubs in the near future. With these cooperative transfers to other AZA-accredited zoos, each cub will have the chance to mature and participate in the Species Survival Plan breeding program, ensuring healthy generations of this threatened species into the future.

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

We've all treasured the chance to see the cubs playing together and bonding with mom for the first year of their lives. Now, we get to see them mature and become truly independent. But that won’t stop us from celebrating one final first—babies’ first birthday! Look for the jaguar cubs to enjoy a special birthday treat on Fri., Mar. 21 at 10:00 a.m. Join us then and stay tuned here for photos from their party! 

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Making green skies safer for raptors

March 19, 2014, 11:06 am

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Posted by: Bettina Woodford, Communications

Video produced by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Peregrinations

A delicate spring dew has settled on the shrub steppe of the Columbia Basin. Raptors, migrating through the Pacific flyway from distant wintering grounds, have alighted here, driven by eons of instinct to breeding areas where a potential buffet of small mammals, such as ground squirrels and pocket gophers, awaits. Heeding the juveniles’ endless squawks, for several weeks dutiful parents will bring meat, day after day, for gaping beaks to tear into. The raptors’ main business here is to raise healthy young and ready them to fledge, egging the species on one season at a time. 

Fewer prey scurry about this landscape today, however. As ranches, farms, towns and paved roads have grown in number, more than 50% of previously undeveloped shrub-steppe habitat, a raptor haven, has disappeared. This hybrid environment makes survival harder for the large, long-lived birds at the top of the food chain. Now, a new kind of development has arrived: wind farms. More than 2,000 turbines spin out electricity in the basin landscape as Washington state looks to sustain growth and mitigate climate change by increasing reliance on green and renewable energy, a laudable goal. As they proliferate, so do concerns about losing breeding raptor populations. “We need to understand the cumulative impacts of wind energy projects on nesting raptors, including their potential displacement and collisions with the 100-150 foot-long turbine blades so we can better protect them,” says Jim Watson, a veteran wildlife research scientist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

To achieve that goal, Jim looks to Woodland Park Zoo for help. Each spring, raptor keepers Gretchen Albrecht, Susan Burchardt, Ros Bas-Fournier, Joanna Bojarski, and Jean Ragland migrate to the basin too, providing him expert knowledge and research skills. They are the heart of a 14-year collaboration with WDFW, a Woodland Park Zoo Living Northwest project called Raptor Ecology of the Shrub-Steppe. For the last three years, they have focused on the effects of wind power on ferruginous and Swainson’s hawks at high-density wind farm sites in south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. Zoo researchers closely monitor hawks’ use of nesting ranges, flight patterns, and interactions in turbine collision zones.

Bumpy travels

Slightly winded, raptor lead keeper Gretchen Albrecht edges up the branches of a juniper tree as the sun arms the air. She is confirming the status of a particular nest, one of several the keepers focus on to track whether ferruginous and Swainson’s hawks are returning to this range annually, or are being displaced by the turbines and moving on to safer territory. Peering from a safe distance, she spies two large eggs. It is a bittersweet find. Indeed, the hawk pair had returned to their range and was preparing to raise this season’s young, taking turns sitting on the eggs and feeding on a dead vole one of them had hunted nearby. But Gretchen and Jim already know that the father, a banded Swainson’s hawk in their study, has been killed. His right wing shattered by a spinning blade, he lay slumped several yards away between his nest and a nearby turbine. His mate has already abandoned the nest. She is unable to hatch two eggs, feed ravenous chicks until they fledge and feed herself. Not alone.

Male Swainson’s hawk #39425 and the turbine that eventually struck him. Photo by Jim Watson.

With such keen eyesight, why do hawks not see these giant fans in their workaday flight paths?  Gretchen explains that “hawks are predators. After a long migration, their job here is straightforward, driven by instinct: build nests, find food and defend territory in the home range.” Making sense of strange, new human-built hazards is a secondary priority. “As Jim sees it, imagine waking up every day with hungry kids to feed. A huge, dangerous blender is lodged between your bedroom and your kitchen. Your eyes scan the ground, locking in on food, so even with all your flying skills, eventually you’re going to bump into it.”

Raptor traps?

The few years since turbines began appearing in raptor country equate to about a millisecond in evolutionary terms. Whether raptors will learn, individually and as a species, to navigate them better is an open question. Through focal observations, the keepers collect data on specific birds’ range behaviors, recording flight type, duration of interaction with or near turbines, and wind and turbine speed. They seek to discern patterns and trends holistically on two levels. The landscape level looks at whether populations are displaced by the turbines, abandoning their breeding grounds for safer but often less suitable habitats. The interaction level looks at whether the hawks become habituated to the turbines, flying near or through them.  In nesting territories, the mean rate at which hawks encounter turbine collision zones, a 400-foot radius around the blades, is once every 76 minutes.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

At 400 feet tall, a turbine rises to the same height at which hawks circle as they seek prey. The danger is in the blades’ rotational dynamics—slowing down, speeding up, stopping—especially at the outer tips. Even at a moderate revolution, those tips can exceed speeds of 150 miles per hour, creating whirls of air that can knock birds off balance, or suck them in, resulting in fatal strikes. In the U.S., estimates are that wind farms kill between 150,000 and 500,000 birds a year. Compared to the hundreds of millions of birds killed by vehicles, buildings’ glass windows and domestic cats annually, the number is relatively low. 

But wind farms are not just here to stay; they are here to multiply. According to researchers at MIT and the Santa Fe Institute, renewable energy patents now outpace patents for fossil fuels. That pace impacts birds and other wildlife. As with hawk #39425, “it’s hard not to have a visceral reaction to individual bird strikes,” says Jim. “But we really need to help wind companies and energy consumers grasp the potential population-level effects, particularly for endangered or threatened raptors. The more we understand their ranging habits and response behaviors to risk factors, the better we can sustain these valuable species over generations.” Preliminary results, to be released this year, suggest that these hawks continue to return to wind project areas to nest, although ferruginous hawks, more sensitive and in decline, are at greater risk of nest-site attrition. Their ranges span large, patchy networks of feeding areas across the basin, so their chances of interacting with turbines increase.

Keepers’ field work tools include Global Positioning Systems technology, telescopes, binoculars, photography, highly skilled eyesight and lots of patience. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Although only a few of the studied birds died from blade strikes, the population experienced considerable mortality from other human-related factors, such as poaching. Fine-scale analyses of flight patterns suggest that nesting hawks regularly pass through or around operational turbines on their territories, but may be learning to adjust their flight behaviors near turbines depending on wind speed. The study’s findings will improve state policy guidelines for safer turbine siting, operational regulations and bird-strike mitigation, and may even inform the industry’s research on blade design. While just about any human endeavor we undertake impacts the environment, green technology especially, through innovation and cooperation, can seek to reduce its impact on the habitat it occupies.

Safer skies

Back at the zoo’s Raptor Center, Gretchen wraps up a typical day. Feeder crickets chirp noisily in the background as she reflects on the field work stories she and the keepers tell curious zoo visitors during the popular flight programs. Children’s faces flush with awe and wonder as the birds cruise over the grassy knoll, showing off a magnificent portfolio of broad wings, strong talons and laser-sharp focus. Gretchen knows that the more people connect to the zoo’s field projects, the more conservation action they will take. Most visitors are shocked to learn that turbine blade tips can slice the air so fast, and are moved to learn how raptors are so deeply connected to the basin’s natural resources.

Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.

Even as development lurches onward, Gretchen believes it is not inevitable that viable habitat and raptors should disappear from the landscape. What is inevitable is our connection to it. “It’s such big, open country,” she recalls. “You feel small, but that’s good. You see how really connected you are to all of life.” Building from this simple fact, we can shift our paradigm from merely energy consumers to proactive stewards of it, mindful of the species with which we share the planet’s resources. Green technology can design smart, and then smarter, ways to co-exist with wildlife. The keepers’ field work is an important contribution to helping wind power companies, policy makers and all who admire a blue—or a green—sky  make choices that keep raptors aloft.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Editor's Note: This article is adapted from a story that first appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of MyZoo Magazine, Woodland Park Zoo's quarterly member magazine. Become a member today to begin your subscription.

Otter pups receive first check-up

March 20, 2014, 3:17 pm

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Posted by: Caileigh Robertson, Communications

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Four new otter pups at Woodland Park Zoo received a clean bill of health today during their first, hands-on wellness exam. The Asian small-clawed otter pups—three females and one male—were born to 4-year-old mother Teratai and 8-year-old father Guntur on January 20.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

The zoo’s newest additions underwent a thorough neonatal exam to check their ears, eyes, mouths and overall development. Each of the otter pups just barely tipped the scales at 1.2-1.5 pounds, a healthy size for their 8-week-old frames. Exam results indicate all four pups are growing healthily as expected.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Since the pups' birth, the parents and four older brothers have all pitched in to build their den nest, provide support and, most recently, teach the pups to swim in a behind-the-scenes pool.

Video: Otter pup swim practice behind the scenes. Footage by Pam Cox, produced by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo. 

With behind-the-scenes swimming lessons under their belts (pelts?), the otter pups had their first chance to go outdoors into their full exhibit today. But their protective father kept them indoors! We'll try another practice introduction session and hopefully soon pups (and dad) will get comfortable out there in the Bamboo Forest Reserve.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Keep in mind that viewing hours at the otter exhibit will be irregular during the introduction sessions. Once we have an official debut planned, we'll be sure to share!

Jaguar cubs tear into 1st birthday treats

March 21, 2014, 1:52 pm

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham and Caileigh Robertson, Communications
Photos by: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo


Happy almost 1st birthday, Kuwan, Arizona and Inka! Though the official day is March 22, the jaguar cubs got an early treat this morning—birthday piñatas scented in curry and perfume.

Following the trail of the enticing scents, the cubs quickly spotted and went after the decorations. Almost immediately “Happy Birthday” became “Happ Birthday” when Kuwan took down the turtle piñata on the end.

Predator instincts kicked into full gear as the jaguars stalked, pounced on, and tore into their piñatas.

The cubs also smashed and rubbed against the perfumed “Birthday” letters, but spent most of their energy on destroying the turtles.

At nearly 1 year old, sisters Inka and Arizona, and their brother, Kuwan, are a lively trio. The young cats’ daily antics include pouncing, prowling and endless play, pausing only to re-energize with cat naps and hearty meals. 

Jaguars are naturally solitary and begin to separate from their mother and siblings as they mature. The three cubs currently live together in the zoo’s award-winning Jaguar Cove and transition behind the scenes when their mother, Nayla, rotates on exhibit independently. Dad Junior lives in an exhibit behind the scenes. 

As the cubs demonstrate more social independence, they will begin to separate from one another too. Woodland Park Zoo’s animal management staff is currently scouting new homes for the young cubs based on breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP). As a conservation institution, Woodland Park Zoo collaborates with other accredited zoos through the SSP to ensure healthy generations of this threatened species into the future. Meanwhile, conservation research continues in the field through the zoo’s Jaguar Conservation Fund, which targets threats that affect wild jaguar populations.

Leave a birthday message for the triplets in the comments and we’ll add it to the birthday card we’re making for the keepers. Last week on Facebook you started sending us your favorite cub photos to include in the card—thanks and please keep ‘em coming!

Road trip: four states, two lions

March 25, 2014, 2:55 pm

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Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Photos and video by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo

Traveling across the country with animals in tow is a regular experience for our dedicated zookeepers, but when curator Martin Ramirez offered me the chance to tag along and document the move of two African lions, I jumped at what for me was a once-in-a-lifetime road trip!

This map traces the 16-hour route we traveled this month to deliver maturing lionesses Busela and Nobuhle to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City—all part of the Species Survival Plan conservation breeding program that will eventually pair them with two mates in their new home.

Long before the road trip ever began, keepers and vet staff worked closely with the animals to prepare them for the transition with crate training, diet prep and health checks planned for before, during and after the move. The animal care staff is dedicated to ensuring these trips are as quick and stress-free as possible for all passengers, which also means reaching out to zoos along the way in case assistance is needed.

Sometimes animals are flown or shipped, but because we were transferring two lions at the same time to a fairly close destination, we decided it was all about the moving truck.

Seriously, you say? Yep, we rented a moving truck that would comfortably fit two large crates and it is here that our journey begins...

Stop 1: Prep and Loading, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA.

Martin met me in the zoo’s parking lot with the moving truck at 5:30 p.m. on Monday night. I threw my duffle bag full of camera equipment, a zoo sweatshirt and a large supply of Cheetos into the follow-car (a white Ford Escape Hybrid). The follow-car’s job is to trail the moving truck, watch for any problems and provide support (and snacks) to the team. We even had walkie-talkies to chat between cars; it was super official.

We drove into the zoo to pick up both the lions and their keepers, Pam Cox and Jason Sorstokke (both having remarkably less luggage than me), who met us outside the feline house.

After a pep-talk and safety reminder from collection manager, Pat Owen, keepers Pam, Christine and Nikki went into the feline house to transfer the lions into their crates. Getting two 200-lb. cats to shift from their exhibit into their crates is not easy, but fortunately the keepers had been practicing the move and it certainly paid off. We waited patiently outside the exhibit while the keepers asked the lions into the crates. When the lions were secure in their travel crates we then had to lift them into the moving truck. Lanny Kittleson, warehouse lead and skillfully smooth fork-lift operator, hoisted the crates into the back of the truck and secured the crates into place.

Zookeeper Nikki does a double check on the lions’ well-being before we depart.

As I tried to peer into the crates in the setting sunlight I couldn't see much of anything and almost wondered if there were really any lions inside, but a low growl from one of the girls assured me that yes, all lions were aboard.

Keeper Christine made sure we had a plentiful supply of water and meat snacks for the lions’ trip. She also provided a large amount of their favorite food so that the keepers in Utah could slowly transition them to their new diet plan. Here she is talking about the diet prep for the trip.

Video: Keeper Christine talks diet prep.

Then, with some heartfelt goodbyes and bon voyages from their dedicated keepers, the lion sisters and their convoy were off on I-5 south!

Stop 2: Some light pawing and a check-stop, Battleground, WA.

As we rolled along the freeway all I could hear was the soothing sound of the interstate. Martin and I were in the follow-car while Pam and Jason led the way in the moving truck. We were almost to Portland when we heard one of the walkie talkies buzz and Pam’s voice ask “Lion check at the next rest stop?” “10-4” we replied.

The next rest stop happened to be right outside Battleground, WA. We pulled into a spot farthest from the restrooms and other travelers. Not that we had much company on a Monday night, but we didn’t want to draw any unneeded attention to a moving truck full of lions. Pam met us at the back of the truck and explained that she had heard some pretty loud pawing during the last few miles. We needed to check to be sure the lions were safe and secure before we continued on. Pam slowly lifted the door and we peered into the back with our flashlights—no lion problems! The lions were snug in their crates, but it was easy to see what the pawing noise was from. Busela had kicked out most of the wood chips from her crate onto the moving truck’s floor. She had been very busy redecorating her carriage. Other than a few scattered wood chips, there were no glitches with our passengers. Next stop, The Dalles!

Video: Checking on lions at night. 

Stop 3: Gas station surprise, The Dalles, OR. 

We sneaked along the starlit Columbia River into the town of The Dalles and needed to gas up before heading over Deadman Pass and the Blues. At the height of the Oregon Trail days, the Blues were a formidable mountain range on the way to Oregon City. The traverse is a little smoother today with I-80 gliding over the peak at 4,193 feet, but you wouldn’t want to get stuck on this steep, windy road.

The West 6th Street 76 welcomed us with a cheerful gas station attendant as only Oregon can. There is something so comforting about a gas station at night, a quick chat with the attendant, a respite from the road. A smiling, freckled young lady chatted us up as she filled the pump. We told her that we were from Woodland Park Zoo and that we had a very special delivery for Utah. As if on cue, one of the lions gave a nice little pound on the side of her crate, making the gas attendant a tad nervous. “What kind of special delivery?” she prodded. When we told her we were hauling two lions she nearly jumped back from the moving truck. “Seriously? That is so freaky… and really cool.” It is really cool, I thought, these young lions are ambassadors for their species and we are all part of this benchmark move in their species survival program. The attendant nervously listened to the side of the truck for any roaring, but the lionettes were pretty quiet. “Good luck”, she said, “you have the coolest job in the world!” I think we all felt that way as we headed for the Blues.

The view for the majority of the 16 hour drive looked like this. I was tempted to grab some photos of my napping cohorts, but I’ll be nice and not publish them here.

Stop 4: Watering hole, Pendelton, OR.

In the middle of the night, in the middle of our trip, in the middle of nowhere we stopped outside of Pendleton, Oregon to check on the girls and make sure they had enough water and a few midnight snacks. Pam climbed into the back of the moving truck and skillfully filled their water troughs. She also slipped them a few chicken strips and asked how they were doing. Pam is magic; she understands animals in a way I have come to truly appreciate. Remember when you were little and you read storybooks about zookeepers and their remarkable affinity for the animals they care for? Well, Pam is that kind of keeper. It’s a quality in zookeeping that is hard to define, but at the core it is kindness and devotion.

Please forgive this poor documentation of Martin checking on the lions; the photographer was extremely tired during this leg of the trip.

Stop 5: Watering hole II, Baker City, OR.

The humans needed caffeine and sugar, the vehicles needed gas. There’s nothing quite like Takis and gas station coffee to round out a road trip. I’m not condoning this sort of nutrition plan, but it was essential to our expedition. We each took turns going into the snack station since someone was always stationed outside to watch over the lions.

Stop 6: Lion breakfast at dawn, Nampa, ID.

The sun rose between Baker City and just outside Nampa where we stopped at a rest area once again to check up on the lions and give them a breakfast snack. Feeding the lions in the crates is a little difficult, but Pam managed to get the raw chicken strips into the crates without too much trouble. She offered each of the girls a few handfuls of meat through the slip in the crates, but they weren’t too interested in breakfast.

The beautiful sunrise as we headed east. You can see the taillights of the lion-mobile in the distance.

Here you can see how Pam slips some chicken to each lion.

It was a beautiful spot for the lions’ breakfast.

Stop 7: The lions roar at dawn, Twin Falls, ID.

The humans stopped for a quick breakfast in Twin Falls, as well as some more coffee. The lions began to roar a bit back and forth, either because they wanted our breakfast or because they were ready to be in Utah. It’s a long drive and the girls did really well in their crates, but I’m sure they were ready to be there—we certainly were at that point!

Stop 8: Snowfall in Snowville, Snowville, UT.

It was snowing as we finally crossed the state line into Utah! (I didn’t catch a photo of the “Welcome to Utah” sign because apparently I had dosed off.) Here is a photo of the beautiful snow-capped Wasatch Mountains north of Salt Lake City. We were really excited to be at Hogle and we only had a few hours left!

The lion-mobile finally reaches the foothills of the Wasatch range!

Stop 9: One last pit-stop, Honeyville, Utah

Our last stop before our big arrival at Hogle Zoo was a quick check on the girls in Honeyville, Utah, just a half hour outside of Salt Lake City. We pulled into a gas station next to a sunny farm field. Pam and Martin both climbed into the truck to do a visual check on the lions. Both girls were lying down and seemed to be calm, a good temperament before their transition from the moving truck to their new space at Hogle. The sun was shining, the snow was just beginning to catch up with us and in a few more miles we would be unloading the lions at their new home!

Stop 10: Home, sweet, home, Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City, UT.

Woohoo! We finally made it to Hogle Zoo! We were welcomed by about 40+ Hogle Zoo staff at their brand new African Savanna exhibit. Hogle had been anticipating our arrival, so the staff there were really thrilled to see us pull in and welcomed us with lots of cheering and smiling. Everyone was ready to help us unload the crates and get the girls settled into their dens. The snow was beginning to fall, a fitting nod to this ski capitol, as we unloaded our gear and prepped the crates for the move into the lion yard. First the crates were lifted from the truck with a forklift and placed closer to the lion yard. From there, the Hogle staff used manpower (and womanpower) to carefully shuffle the crates to the lions’ indoor space. After securing the crates to the outside wall, a keeper on the roof of the feline house lifted a cord to open the crate door which allowed the lions to exit their crates and enter their indoor space.

Video: Woodland Park Zoo arrives in Salt Lake City and teams assist in transferring lions from the transport truck to the new lion enclosure at Hogle Zoo.

It took a few minutes for the girls to get up the courage to shift into the indoor area, but once they did they sniffed out their new digs and settled in. They were kept in separate enclosures during their first night, but after that the sisters were reunited with a lot of snuggling and neck rubbing. Keepers at Hogle tell us they are doing quite well in their new home!

Video: Lion keeper Tonya describes the girls' first night in their new home at Hogle Zoo in Utah. The lion sisters were brought to Hogle where they will live together in the new 4.5 acre African Savanna exhibit.

Hogle Zoo is just now putting the finishing touches on their 4.5 acre African Savanna exhibit. Erica Hansen, communications coordinator, gave us a special sneak peek at the new space. You can see they are still working on a few elements of the exhibit design, but soon the grass will begin to seed and it’s going to be a great space for our girls to romp and play. They’ll have two watering holes, one of which can be heated or cooled depending on the weather. There are places to sit up high and look over the panorama featuring giraffes, zebra, ostrich and other small antelope, as well as cozy spots to nap.

Video: Erica Hansen shows us the new lion exhibit, part of Hogle Zoo’s African Savanna landscape which is just in the final stages of construction. 

When we finally had the moving truck cleaned up and ready to return I felt a little sense of elation. It was sort of the last step in this big move and I was definitely exhausted and ready for some sleep. Even though the trip went as smoothly as possible, it was a big move for these two lions and we all felt a sigh of relief when we were assured that they were settled into their new dens. I’ve always thought that being a zookeeper was quite possibly the coolest job in the world, and spending time with this dedicated crew proved it. The keepers on both ends of this move care for these animals with as much devotion and empathy as you can imagine. It’s this mushy stuff that is sometimes left out of our stories. As zoologists we like to focus on the hard science behind animal care, but I can tell you that all four of us had a few tears in our eyes as we left the lionesses with their new keepers. Like seeing a kiddo head to kindergarten, it was a bittersweet little moment.

For me, the most touching moment was seeing Pam hand off to the Hogle keepers the girls’ favorite enrichment toy, a football that Pam had given them as little cubs back in Seattle. Pam, Jason and Martin took one last peek into the lions’ new home. They were in good hands and it was time to make the long drive home.

Pam leaves a little good luck present for Busela and Nobuhle: their preferred football, a reminder of their keeper at Woodland Park Zoo. Here you can see Nobuhle peeking out from an indoor holding area.

It’s hard to believe the time has come to see our four young lions move onto the next stage of their lives. Born in November 2012, brothers Pelo and Rudo and sisters Busela and Nobuhle are now nearly the size of their mother, Adia. Our lions are still young, but at a year+ they were ready to become independent and start their own adventures. Part of becoming a mature lion means having the chance to establish a family and the potential to have cubs of their own.

Nobuhle in a holding area behind-the-scenes at Hogle Zoo.

Busela in her holding area at Hogle Zoo. Photo courtesy of Hogle Zoo.

As we drove out of the zoo gates, this Fleetwood Mac song was playing on the radio and I thought it was an auspicious sign for our girls.


I couldn't help but smile and think of the good life our girls will have in Utah. I might be secondhand news to our lions, but after this adventure I will always think of them whenever I find myself road tripping.

If you happen to find yourself in Salt Lake City, make sure you stop by Hogle Zoo and say hello to the girls!

Though the cubs have now all gone, the lion story isn’t over. A new mate for Adia has just arrived here from El Paso Zoo, a handsome male named Xerxes. He is hanging out in standard quarantine right now and we’re gearing up for an introduction between the two very soon. The two are paired through the Species Survival Plan, and if they hit it off, we could have a whole new generation of cubs to fall in love with!

Upcycled Wild Craft Contest

March 27, 2014, 10:08 am

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Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

As we countdown to Party for the Planet coming up April 5-13, it’s time to kick-off the earth-friendly event with a contest!

Turn trash into treasure and enter the Upcycled Wild Craft Contest. Photo by Ryan Hawk, craft by Sara Schaad/Woodland Park Zoo.

Transform trash into treasure for the zoo’s Upcycled Wild Craft Contest. Use non-recyclable items including bottle caps, old furniture or food packaging to make artful creations that reduce waste and look wild!

Contest entries will be judged in the following age categories:

• Ages 5-8 
• Ages 9-13 
• Ages 14-18 
• Ages 19 + up 

Entries will be accepted March 29 – April 11. Drop yours off at the zoo’s West Entrance with a completed entry form. All entries will be displayed in the zoo’s West Plaza and on Woodland Park Zoo’s Pinterest board.

Upcycling is a great way to keep items out of the landfill. Photo by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo.

One winner will be selected in each age group and receive a Real Close Tour for two people and an upcycled item from the zoo’s Conservation Commerce. One of the four winners will be chosen as the overall winner and win an upgraded Conservation Commerce item.

Upcycling is just one way to keep trash out of the landfill and be a better steward for the planet. At Party for the Planet, every day is Earth Day as we explore more ways to take care of wildlife and wild places together. From April 5-13, join us for guided eco tours around the zoo and daily talks and programs spotlighting ways to protect the planet. On April 11, we'll host an e-cycling event to help keep toxic materials out of the enviornment. Get the full schedule and come party with us!