Saying goodbye to sun bears

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

There are big changes coming soon to our tiger and Asian bear exhibits as we get ready to make over the 60-year-old spaces into naturalistic, state-of-the-art homes for these animals. Next week we’ll unveil our final design plans for the new space. But before we get caught up in what’s to come, we want to tell you about some related changes underway—saying goodbye to sun bears at Woodland Park Zoo.

As we started to gather ideas for the new exhibits that will replace this outdated part of the zoo, we had to get serious about planning for space. You see, we are seeking to deepen our commitment to and involvement in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plan captive breeding programs for Asian bears. To become a center for endangered Asian bear breeding, we need to use exhibit space more efficiently to allow for multiple generations of bears—from newborns to the elderly—and account for the need to separate bears that may not be compatible outside of breeding season.

With this need for space, it became apparent that we could not provide such facilities for both species of Asian bears currently kept at the zoo—sloth bears and sun bears. So our animal care experts consulted with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and other institutions participating in Asian bear Species Survival Plans in order to determine the most appropriate species to maintain in our collection. Based on an extensive set of criteria including ease of visibility for visitors, record of success in breeding, suitability to the exhibit environment, and other factors, we determined the sloth bear was the best fit to maintain in the new exhibit complex.

That was a tough yet important decision to make, and it means we’ll no longer have sun bears in our collection at Woodland Park Zoo. Right now, two sun bears call Woodland Park Zoo home—our 4-year-old male Palu and 13-year-old female Suntil. This month, we're getting ready to place them in a new zoo home. These two bears have a strong bond so we're especially happy to have found a new home for them where they will get to stay together as a pair —Virginia Zoo, which just completed a new exhibit for sun bears.

After March 25—their last day on exhibit together—we’ll be getting ready to send Palu and Suntil on their cross-country trip. We hope with the warm weather and high humidity in Virginia that they’ll get a little kickstart in the hormone department and maybe make some babies together!

While our keepers get Palu and Suntil ready, we’re putting some final touches on our exhibit design plans that we’ll share with the public on March 22. We can’t wait to show you all the amazing features in our new, 2-acre exhibit complex that will get you closer than ever to sloth bears and tigers and connect you with ways to help them in the wild. We think you’ll be as excited as we are to see it all come together. More to come next week!

Photos (from top): Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo, Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo. Exhibit rendering by Studio Hanson/Roberts.

Wonderfully Wild Wednesday: Snow leopard tail

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

Enjoying the cold, wet snow mix this week? It’s nothing to our snow leopards.

They come equipped for bundling up: snow leopards use their 3-foot-long tails as mufflers to protect their noses and lungs from freezing at night.

Archive photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

There’s a fox in my fig tree

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications


Meet some of our newest frugivores!

Our colony of Indian flying foxes perches under the roof of their house. They have long-toed feet with sharp claws enabling them to roost hanging upside down. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Six Indian flying foxes have settled in (under, actually) nicely at the Adaptations Building.

While it may be hard to tell which creature the Indian flying fox resembles most, its large eyeballs, pointy ears, reddish brown fur, long snout, and wingspan of up to six feet, all belong to the megabat Pteropus giganteus. Not quite a fox, although certainly similar in the looks department, the Indian flying fox is one of the larger fruit bats in the world, weighing as much as 3.5 pounds.

In the wild, the Indian flying fox is found on the Indian sub-continent that extends from Pakistan to Southeast Asia and China, and south to the Maldive Islands. Flying fox inhabit enormous trees such as banyan, tamarind and fig. These trees are capable of holding huge bat colonies, sometimes housing thousands of bats!

Here you can really see the flying fox’s giant eyeballs. They depend on their large eyes which possess excellent night vision and perhaps some color perception to distinguish fruit from foliage. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

For the most part, these bats are nocturnal, leaving their roost just after sunset for long distance flights in search of a variety of fruit including mango, guava, banana, durian, neem and papaya, as well as blossoms and nectar. The ideal treat for these giant frugivores (fruit eaters) and the majority of their diet in the wild is figs. Imagine waking up to a tree-full of flying fox furiously feasting on figs!

These bats have many adaptations designed to help find and consume their fruit-oriented diets. A claw on their second finger enhances grasping ability. They have a long snout with an excellent sense of smell, a long tongue to reach into plants, and sharp teeth for piercing tough rinds and mashing pulp. They chew the fruit and crush it against their hard, ridged palates. Then they swallow the juice and spit out small pellets of pulp and seeds. Large flying foxes consume up to half their body weight daily. Here at the zoo, our Indian flying foxes dine on apples, bananas, cooked sweet potato and carrots, mixed greens, and vitamin and mineral supplements.

Our Indian flying foxes are a little bashful, so be sure to be extra polite when you approach their exhibit. If you are lucky they will stare right back at you. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Flying foxes are very social, literally hanging out together all the time. A colony contains several hundred, even thousands, of bats living in nearby trees. Most of their daytime is spent sleeping, resting, licking and grooming themselves and each other. They can be very vocal and erupt into a loud chatter if an outsider approaches.



This video shows a few Indian flying fox roosting atop a tree in India. You can see how they stretch and hang in different positions. (Video via adbio 12).

With wing spans of up to 6 feet and weights more than 3 pounds, a flying fox soaring through the sky is an impressive sight. Their strong wings can carry them up to 40 miles. To land, they simply slow to a stall or crash onto foliage while grasping branches.

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Bats have very light bones compared to other mammals. In contrast to their powerful upper body, most fruit bats lack weight bearing hind limbs for locomotion or even standing. At best, flying foxes crawl on the ground. With lighter and weaker rear quarters, bats hang upside down. Tendons in their hind legs lock claws onto surfaces without any effort. To launch into flight, they merely release their grip!

Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) proclaimed 2011-2012 as Year of the Bat to coincide with the United Nations Year of Forests. Year of the Bat promotes conservation, research and education. Flying foxes are a keystone species in the world’s tropical rain forests as many ecological benefits come from bats. They pollinate and disperse the seeds of many tropical plants and their bat guano is an excellent fertilizer.

These flying foxes are awaiting your visit. In parts of India these creatures are seen as good luck; stop by Adaptations and see for yourself. Stay batty!

Allegory of the senses…mmm smells like Fruit Loops?

Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications with David Selk, Horticulture


Don’t you love the early signs of spring? Even though it’s still chilly and spring doesn’t technically start until March 20, some of the tiniest hints of the season are already in full force here at the zoo. With a few clues from our resident horticulture guru, David Selk, I went on a quick hunt for early blooms. Here are a few of the finds…

Hello spring! Above is the flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum).

Below is a fresh green sprout from an Indian Plum (Oemlaria cerasiformis), little green slivers of warmer days ahead. This is a view from the side—some pretty intense architecture! This plant is native to the Pacific Northwest, ranging from BC, Canada all the way to Santa Barbara, CA. A sure sign of spring, Indian Plum is among the first plants to leaf out and flower.

You can begin to see delicate white flowers emerge from the buds. People used to make tea from the bark, and chewed the twigs to use as a mild anesthetic.

These beautiful specimens of Garrya elliptica, the coast silktassel, are almost opalescent.

The flowers appear in long, slender hanging clusters called catkins and there are male and female flowers on separate plants. This time of year it is in full bloom and really spectacular.

These bodacious pink clusters are part of the Viburnum bodnantense or simply, Dawn. This plant is a hybrid developed in Germany by crossing the Chinese V. farreri with the Himalayan V. grandiflorum. The flowers have a lovely perfume which is sweet-smelling, and the leaves can smell distinctly citrusy. 

The flowers are pinkest and most vibrant in winter when deciduous leaves have fallen and the stark branches show only bright pink buds and baby pink blossoms. You can find them at the entrance of the Woodland Park Rose Garden.

These dangly bits are from the spiketail (Stachyurus praecox) near the Rose Garden. Its crisp green color is intense! PANTONE 13-0632 Endive, for all you color connoisseurs. The seed was traditionally used as a black dye in Japan.

One of my favorite places to slip away to is the Jaguar Cove. The space itself is beautiful; conjuring a luscious and wild rainforest. The winding paths, the crystal clear pool, and of course the jaguars, (whether napping, swimming or sneaking across a log) are absolutely spellbinding. This time of year, when most of grounds are still asleep in a floral hibernation, a mysteriously sweet fragrance breezes blissfully through the cove. 

The culprit?

Sweet box (Sarcococca). The sweet box shrub has glossy leaves and sweet-smelling, dainty, white flowers almost hidden in the foliage.

Standing very near this plant, it’s hard to detect much of a scent, but stand back a few feet and let the breeze scatter the sarcococca’s piercingly sweet fragrance all around you. When I first experienced this sensation, I never suspected such a tiny flower! Above you can see the individual stamen and pollen dust.

Meet the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) in front of the Adaptations Building.  The wood of C. mas is extremely dense, and unlike most other woody plant species, sinks in water. This density makes it valuable for crafting into tool handles. Cornus mas was used as early as seventh century BC by Greek craftsman to construct spears, javelins and bows. We use it for constructing beautiful yellow backdrops!

Witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) grows near the benches at the tiger viewpoint. Its pale yellow tendrils are so elegant!

Lonicera fragrantissima at the entrance of the African Village is definitely one of the most surprising. This delicate pearl flower goes by a couple common names such as Winter honeysuckle or the more evocative Sweet-breath-of-spring. Some people think this one smells like fruit loops!

Early springtime is the absolute best season for scouting out bursts of color and fresh blossoms like these crocuses ready to flower.

Visit our What’s in Bloom guide to learn more about all the seasonal flowers at the zoo including these pops of Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus).

P.S. Can you keep a green thumb secret?

Here is a peek at one of our horticulture team’s most top secret gardening contraptions!

Photos: Jaguar photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. All other photos by Kirsten Pisto/Woodland Park Zoo.

Wonderfully Wild Wednesday: Wolf Bite

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

These wolves are at play, but the sight of their opened mouths would certainly be less fun for a prey animal. 

A wolf's powerful jaws can exert about 1,500 pounds per square inch, about twice that of a dog! 

(Photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo)

News from the Field: Looking back on Punta San Juan

Posted by: John Samaras, Penguin Keeper


This post is part three of a three-part series based on Woodland Park Zoo penguin keeper John Samaras’ work in Punta San Juan, Peru with a zoo conservation partner.

As I look back on the time since my trip to participate in the Humboldt penguin health assessment in Peru, I feel fortunate to have been able to share my experiences with so many people.  From giving a slide presentation to zoo staff and volunteers, to including vivid details of the penguins’ native habitat in my public keeper talks and on special tours, I can draw on the memories of that incredible place and the time and experiences I had there.

I began working with Humboldt penguins at the Akron Zoo in Ohio in 1998, and was immediately hooked!  I knew that these peculiar penguins were native to the desert coast of Peru and Northern Chile, they nested in burrows and their main prey was anchovies.  I learned about their behavior from a first-hand perspective through caring for them at the zoo and reading about their natural history.

But now that I’ve seen them in their native habitat, it adds a new dimension of knowledge and appreciation for this species.  I knew they dug burrows in the sand and dirt on the coast, but what else I learned about their nesting behavior was amazing! They also nest in rock crevices amongst the jagged cliff walls, open nests under rock overhangs, in caves and even dig burrows and use artificial burrows (put in place by biologists to increase nesting options) at the top of an 80-foot cliff! 

These awkward, foot–and-a-half tall birds are able to scale (actually hop) down the steep slope of this cliff to get to the sea and then make their way back up on a repeated basis to provide for and raise their chicks.  It was great to see them swimming in the turbulent ocean, hauling out and basking on the jagged rocks and sandy beaches, and mingling comfortably with so many other species.

Another thing that struck me was the incredible abundance of life that exists there on the coast and on out into the sea, even though we drove seven hours along the desert coast to get there and it’s so arid in the region that plants don’t grow there.  It’s like being on the surface of the moon (especially with the thousands of cormorant nests that looked like small craters) until you come to the point where the desert abruptly ends and rock walls cascade steeply down to the sea below. 

The view before me was astounding!  The sky was filled with birds flying around in every direction, and a large area of desert was blackened by an estimated 500,000 Guanay cormorants that sprung a constant stream of birds going off to their feeding waters along in the Humboldt current.  During breeding season, the population climbs to a million cormorants!  The striking Inca terns and Peruvian boobies (a plunge-diving species) were drifting in the swift winds and perching on the steep rock walls.

Tens of thousands of South American fur seals and sea lions piled over each other on certain beaches and covered every square inch.  There also were many that were swimming in the violent surf and hauled out, sunning on the jagged rocks that peppered the coast.  All of this life with the background of the beautiful blue ocean, the white caps of the crashing waves, and the huge rock formations and cliffs was a truly breathtaking scene. 

All of the animals that I saw got nothing from the land other than a place to nest or rest.  There is nothing else the desert can offer.  But it is the sea where all of these animals hunt and eat and are able to sustain themselves and their young.  Without those anchovies, mackerel and sardines off the coast in the Humboldt current upwelling, none of these animals would be there.  Actually, what I saw when I was there is only a fraction of the historic populations of these species prior to decades of overfishing and unregulated guano harvesting.

Going to Peru was also an amazing opportunity to meet and work with other zoo colleagues and with the Peruvian biologists who dedicate so much time and effort in trying to preserve these endangered penguins.  Everyone I worked with was kind and professional, and the atmosphere was relaxed but the work was serious.

One of the sad parts of the experience was seeing the large amounts of plastic that were scattered about the Peruvian beaches.  There were plastic bags, bottle caps, toys, water bottles, everything you can imagine.  There were particles of plastic that had broken down so small, they were same size as the sand on the beaches!  There were also pieces of plastic mesh with the skeletons of various species of birds entangled in them.  It was a sobering thought that even in such a remote place as this, the effects of our disposable lifestyle are evident everywhere.  When we “throw things away,” it always goes somewhere.

One thing that I didn’t mention in my previous blog is that the 51 penguins that we did physicals on were all adults. The chicks were just weighed and measured, then kept warm in safe hands while the adults were attended to. The average length of time from catch up to release was about 12 minutes. We performed a lactate test (to measure lactic acid levels, an indicator of stress) after catch up and just prior to release, and found that stress levels actually lowered significantly by the end of the procedures. The chicks or eggs would be put back into the burrow prior to putting the adult back in. Penguins have incredibly strong parental bonds with their chicks and eggs and immediately cover them upon returning. Our actions don’t disrupt the family’s bond, they’re too strong!

I really appreciate the opportunity to have gotten to go to Peru and see where these fascinating Humboldt penguins live and bring the experience back to Seattle! It was also an honor to participate as a representative of Woodland Park Zoo and be a part of one of our conservation projects abroad.

After being to Punta San Juan, I realize just how effective our penguin exhibit is in making you feel like you’re immersed in the place where these penguins are from!  It was the opportunity of a lifetime!

Photos by John Samaras/Woodland Park Zoo.