Woodland Park Zoo

• Address: 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 (Map)
• Phone Number: (206) 548-2500
• Email Address: zoo-info@zoo.org
• Hours of Operation: 9:30am to 4:00pm (last entry at 3:00pm) every day except Christmas Day.
• Date Founded: 1899
• Accreditation: The Woodland Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA).
• Number of Animals: Over 1,000
• Number of Species: 300+
• Park Size: 92 acres
• Website Link: https://www.zoo.org/

The Woodland Park Zoo is a zoological garden located in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1899, making it one of the oldest zoos in the United States. The zoo originally started as a small menagerie with just a few animals, including bears, eagles, and elk.

In the early 1900s, the zoo began to grow rapidly, and a new location was needed to house the expanding collection of animals. In 1903, the zoo moved to its current location in Woodland Park, which was a 188-acre piece of land donated by the city of Seattle.

Over the years, the zoo has gone through many changes and expansions. In the 1920s, the zoo began to focus on creating naturalistic habitats for the animals, rather than simply keeping them in cages. In the 1970s, the zoo underwent a major renovation that added new exhibits and improved the overall visitor experience.

Today, the Woodland Park Zoo is home to over 1,000 animals representing nearly 300 species. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which is the highest accreditation a zoo can receive. The zoo is also committed to conservation and has funded over 400 conservation projects around the world.

Overall, the Woodland Park Zoo has a rich history and has played an important role in the community for over a century. It continues to be a beloved destination for families and animal lovers alike, offering a unique and educational experience for all who visit.

• The Woodland Park Zoo is home to the largest live animal collection in Washington state.
• It was the first zoo in the United States to create naturalistic exhibits.
• The zoo has won numerous awards for its conservation efforts, including the prestigious Edward H. Bean Award for exemplary achievement in wildlife conservation.
• The Woodland Park Zoo is committed to sustainable practices and has reduced its energy consumption by 30% in the last decade.
• The zoo is a leader in animal welfare and has been recognized for its use of positive reinforcement training methods.
• You can see a variety of animals at the Woodland Park Zoo, including gorillas, lions, tigers, bears, penguins, and more.
• The zoo has a large collection of birds, with over 100 species represented.
• Woodland Park Zoo is home to one of the oldest and most successful penguin breeding programs in the world.
• The zoo offers a variety of programs and events, including animal encounters, zoo camps, and zoo lights during the holiday season.
• The Woodland Park Zoo is a popular destination for school field trips and group outings.

• Woodland Park Zoo is home to several snow leopards, including Helen, Aibek (EYE-beck), and Marai (muh-RYE). There have been 35 snow leopard cubs born at the zoo to date.
• The zoo has a large collection of reptiles, including 2 male Komodo dragons named Nakal and Berani.
• The Woodland Park Zoo was a temporary home to the famous Western lowland gorilla, named Ivan, who spent 27 years in confinement before being relocated to the zoo. He was the subject of a fictionalized book and movie (The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate).
• The zoo has a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital that cares for sick and injured animals.
• The Woodland Park Zoo has a unique exhibit called Zoomazium, an indoor nature play space for children that encourages them to learn about the environment through play.
• The zoo’s Molbak’s Butterfly Garden is home to over 500 species of butterflies from around the world, including the beautiful Oregon silverspot butterfly.
• Woodland Park Zoo has a wide variety of primates, including orangutans, gibbons, lemurs, and colobus monkeys.
• The zoo’s African Savanna exhibit is home to a variety of African animals, including giraffes, zebras, and ostriches.
• The Woodland Park Zoo is committed to conservation and has funded over 400 conservation projects in over 50 countries around the world.
• The zoo offers a unique premium tours experience where visitors can meet and learn from animal keepers about their daily routines and responsibilities. Additionally, they offer a virtual program named “Call of the Wild” also noted as a ZOOm experience.

• The Woodland Park Zoo has a “Family Farm” exhibit where kids can get up close and personal with a variety of farm animals.
• The zoo’s “Bug World” exhibit features a variety of creepy crawlies, including tarantulas, scorpions, and cockroaches.
• The zoo offers a “Zoomazium” indoor play space where kids can climb, crawl, and explore while learning about animals and nature.
• The Woodland Park Zoo has a variety of interactive exhibits and animal demonstrations, including a sea lion show and a raptor flight program.
• The zoo offers a “Little Zoo Waddlers” program for children up to age 3, where they can explore and learn about animals with their parents or caregivers.
• The Woodland Park Zoo has a large playground area for kids to run and play.
• The zoo’s “Rain Forest Food Pavilion” offers a variety of kid-friendly food options, including pizza, chicken tenders, and hot dogs.
• The zoo offers a “Zoo Careers Exploration Day” program for kids ages 14-19, where they go behind the scenes to see up close what different zoo careers are like and get some tips about educational paths and experiences that can help launch a zoo career.
• The Woodland Park Zoo has a variety of seasonal events, including trick-or-treating during Halloween and “WildLanterns” evenings during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
• The zoo offers a variety of educational resources for kids, including online activities, coloring pages, and lesson plans for teachers.