Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Clara enjoys practicing new behaviors through positive reinforcement training! By rewarding her curiosity and participation, her animal care team builds trust, strengthens their bond and makes learning fun. Who knew a baby pumpkin could be such a great training tool? Happy National Pumpkin Day!

Watch playful polar bear Laerke make the most of her fall enrichment before saying farewell. This weekend, you can see Laerke before she heads to her new home at the Saint Louis Zoo, where new adventures await. We’ll miss you, Laerke! 🐾 📹: Animal care staff Kacie and Kelsie

Behind the scenes with Boma! 🐢🍓 Our hinge-back tortoise is enjoying the finer things in life: fresh fruit snacks and a relaxing soak. Talk about a shell-f-care day! 🛁 📹: Animal care staff Allison

Snack break with Hudson the muskox. 🍃 📹: Animal care staff Russell

Sumatran tiger Mawar is soaking up the warmth in one of her outdoor pools! 🐅 📹: Assistant curator Shannon

It’s International Sloth Day! 🦥 Meet Siesta, our 26-year-old two-toed sloth who’s perfected the art of taking it slow. He spends his days napping, snacking, and reminding us that sometimes, life’s better in slow motion.

Stunning Indah 😻 Her animal care team describes Indah as a “calm, mellow tiger who goes with the flow.” They say she’s also very social and personable, and chuffs at the other tigers. She is a fast learner and loves to explore. 🐅 📸: Animal care staff Katie

✨ ZOOLIGHTS TICKETS ARE ON SALE ✨ The beloved holiday tradition returns Nov. 27–Jan. 3, with more than 1.5 million sparkling lights, Thomas Dambo’s whimsical trolls, larger-than-life light displays, and plenty of festive fun. Popular dates sell out fast, so grab your tickets now: pdza.org/zoolights

Otterly gourd times with the Asian small-clawed otter family at Zoo Boo! 🎃 The otters are loving exploring and interacting with the massive, 200-pound carved and decorated pumpkin as part of their fall fun enrichment! 📹 Video (and pumpkin carving) by animal care staff Marco

Baku and Yuna hit the pumpkin jackpot! 🎃 Our tapirs received a MASSIVE pumpkin today for some Zoo Boo fall fun! And they won’t be the only ones getting in on the action; animals throughout the zoo and aquariums will enjoy their own slice of pumpkin season during Zoo Boo this weekend. 📹 curator Erin

This weekend’s forecast: Gourd times at Zoo Boo! Dress up and join us for underwater pumpkin carving, troll hunting, spooktacular activities, amazing animals, cute critters, and trick-or-treating around the Zoo. 🎃: pdza.org/zoo-boo

Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS are here! Search for 12 whimsical troll sculptures hidden among lush gardens, forested trails, wildlife and animal habitats. Each troll has its own unique personality and story. Find them all-4 at the Zoo & 8 at Trek! 🗓️ Oct 15 – Jan 24 🎟️ Included with admission 🌲 TrollTrek.org

A little throwback to when our beaver family went bobbing for baby pumpkins! 🦫 Tiny pumpkins, big chomps, and some spooktacular fall fun. 🎃 Ready for more animal antics? Join us for Zoo Boo and celebrate the season with us! 🐾 👻

A little extra TLC for Moea! 🦦💖 Our rescued sea otter receives PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy to help manage age-related arthritis. This treatment may help reduce inflammation, improve circulation and support tissue health, helping Moea stay comfortable as she gets older.

An 800-pound muskox vs. a 200-pound pumpkin! 💥🎃 Catch more pumpkin-smashing, leaf-crunching, Troll-hunting, fall fun during Zoo Boo this weekend, Oct. 17 & 18! 🍂🐾

Ice chips? Don’t mind if I do! 🧊🦭 Growing sea lion pup Owen is snacking on ice chips as he takes some early steps in the weaning process. These moments also help him build trust and a positive relationship with his animal care team. 📹: Animal care staff Kelsie

Zoo Boo is creeping into Point Defiance Zoo Oct. 17–18! Come dressed in your favorite costume for trick-or-treating, spooktacular games, pumpkin-loving animals, and even UNDERWATER pumpkin carving! Plus, keep an eye out for some giant new visitors… Trolls are joining the fun! 🎟️ pdza.org/zoo-boo

Breakfast is always better with family. 🥰 A little behind-the-scenes peek at mealtime with our adorable otter family! 📹: Animal care staff Katie

Another round for Hudson! ⚽ The massive muskox is getting faster at popping his inflatable balls, but no worries, he and the herd have plenty of other “muskox-sturdy” barrels, balls, and enrichment items to enjoy. Enrichment plays an important role in animal care by encouraging natural behaviors.

Happy Friday! 😛 Makara, our 16-year-old skink, is showing off her adorable tongue. Prehensile-tailed skinks are the world's largest skinks, reaching up to 32 inches in length. Its slow movements and camouflaged coloring help them avoid being seen. They live in trees and are excellent climbers.

Turn up the sound to hear a chorus of howls from our critically endangered Red Wolf pack! 🐺 Born in April, these pups are growing up fast, and they’re enjoying some nighttime howling with their parents, Violet and Fiddle. 🌙

Turn up the sound to hear Bramble the porcupette's care team describe how her boopable snoot feels.

Growing up fast! Bramble’s care team feeds her around the clock to keep her growing strong and healthy. The one-month-old prehensile-tailed porcupette is now over 2 pounds and continues to do well behind the scenes at Wild Wonders. 💗

And this adorable porcupette’s name is… BRAMBLE! 🩷 Thank you for voting! Bramble is a prickly plant with tangled branches, a nod to her spiky quills and curious nature.

And this adorable porcupette’s name is… BRAMBLE! 🩷 Thank you for voting! Bramble is a prickly plant with tangled branches, a nod to her spiky quills and curious nature.

It’s the LAST DAY to help name our first-ever prehensile-tailed porcupette! 💖 This adorable, boopable baby needs a name, and you get to help choose it. 🗳️ Vote now at pdza.org/name-the-porcupette

A little unexpected shake-up in Tacoma today! During today’s 4.2 magnitude earthquake, some of our aquarium animals were briefly startled, but everyone is safe and doing well. Most guests and staff didn’t feel the earthquake at all.

Help name our first-ever prehensile-tailed porcupette! 💖 Vote by tomorrow, Sept. 30, 11pm, at pdza.org. The one-month-old wasn’t getting enough milk from her mom, so staff is hand-rearing her to ensure she continues to grow and thrive. She’s gaining weight (now 2 lbs) and trying solid foods.

Our Asian small-clawed otters are exploring the large waterfall habitat at the Asian Forest Sanctuary! With rotating spaces, there’s always something new to discover. Habitat rotation gives our animals fresh sights, scents and enrichment opportunities while encouraging natural exploration.

Our first-ever prehensile-tailed porcupette is happily nibbling on a hibiscus flower, and clearly enjoying every bite. 🥰 Now she needs a name! Keepers have narrowed it down to Amora, Bristle or Bramble, and you get to choose. 💕 Vote now at PDZA.org. We’ll announce the winning name this Thursday!

Seeing if baby girl approves of blueberries. 🫐 This adorable prehensile-tailed porcupette needs a name! Keepers have narrowed it down to Amora, Bristle or Bramble, and you get to choose. 🗳️ Vote now through Wednesday, Sept. 30: pdza.org/name-the-porcupette

POV: Clara brings you a gift. 🥹 A perfect little Sea Otter Awareness Week finale from our favorite gift-giver. 💕 We’re celebrating the rescued sea otters in our care, while sharing why protecting these incredible animals and their ocean home matters. 🦦 📹: Animal care staff Kristyn

Meet Mawar! Her name means “rose” in Indonesian, and this 7-year-old endangered Sumatran tiger definitely has a lot to say during some behind-the-scenes keeper time. Sound on! 🐯 📹: Animal care staff Katie

Wrapping up Sea Otter Awareness Week with Moea and one of her favorite activities: mealtime! 🦦🐟 Southern sea otters can eat about 20–25% of their body weight in food every day! That’s why our otters get fresh, restaurant-quality, sustainably sourced seafood multiple times a day. 💙

Happy Sea Otter Awareness Week, Moea! 🦦 Our rescued Southern sea otter is an estimated 17 years old. She is calm, confident, and loves spending time with her fellow otter pal, Clara. She’s also a foodie at heart, and her name is too! "Moea" is a nod to the scientific name for sweet potato. 🍠

Your new prickly pal needs a name! 💖 Vote for your favorite at pdza.org/name-the-porcupette

Clara, the rescued sea otter, is showing off her lightning-fast tippy-tappies! Those speedy paws aren’t just adorable; they’re a natural skill sea otters use to crack open hard-shelled snacks like clams and crabs, using rocks as tools. Smart, speedy, and seriously cute. #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek

Happy first day of fall! 🍁🎃🍂

Every year, #SeaOtterAwarenessWeek takes place during the last full week of Sept to celebrate and inspire awareness of these marine mammals. Did you know our sea otters were rescued? They were deemed non-releasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more at pdza.org/sea-otter-awareness/