Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a big pail of poo. The Woodland Park Zoo is selling off a specially-crafted blend of Zoo Doo this year called Holidoo. This blend comes directly from the zoo’s elephant exhibit. It’s made up of the “end products” of the elephant manure and bedding, “the biggest and richest composting materials at the zoo,” according to the press release.
Holidoo is the ideal present for garden enthusiasts or that person who seems to have everything! The festively packaged Holidoo product is available exclusively during the holiday season only at the ZooStore in jumbo-sized, 4-gallon containers. Traditional Zoo Doo compost is also available in 2-gallon buckets or pints for stocking stuffers.
The poo is available and the two ZooStore locations from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The cost is $20 for a four-gallon bucket of Holidoo, $12.95 for a two-gallon bucket of Zoo Doo and those pint-sized stocking stuffers of Zoo Doo are just $4.95.
Holidoo and Zoo Doo purchases help support the zoo’s animal care, education programs and worldwide conservation efforts. (PHoto courtesy the Woodland Park Zoo.)
Woodland Park Zoo is inviting residents of Fremont, Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Greenwood and Ballard to its Neighborhood Appreciation Event from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4.
This will be an opportunity for you to meet fellow zoo neighbors, enjoy light refreshments and have special experiences in some of our special exhibits. Children are welcome to attend.
The event will start at the zoo’s West Entrance, located at North 55th Street and Phinney Avenue North. Parking will be free in the surrounding zoo lots for this gathering. Casual attire is encouraged.
Please RSVP by e-mailing roxanne.murphy@zoo.org. For more information, contact Roxanne Murphy, Community Relations and Outreach Liaison at (206) 548-2462.
Now when you stop by Caffé Vita for your daily cup of coffee, you can help save an animal’s life. Not too shabby.
For every bag of Zoo Special Reserve purchased at Caffé Vita, $1 will be donated to Woodland Park Zoo. The farmers who grow this coffee promote biodiversity by setting aside over forty percent of their land as a nature reserve, which protects the habitats of native tropical animals and birds such as gray foxes, armadillos, anteaters, parrots and butterflies. The Zoo Special Reserve coffee beans were sustainably farmed using innovative systems of composting, recycling and water conservation under the belief that healthy, organic soil and diverse shade cover produces superior coffee.
Zoo Special Reserve is sold in 12-ounce bags of whole beans for $13.95 at all six Caffé Vita locations in Seattle, though the easiest one for you to get to would be the Fremont location at 4301 Fremont Avenue North.
Caffé Vita will continue to work with Woodland Park Zoo this summer when they travel to Papua New Guinea to help improve community livelihoods while protecting biodiversity and the habitat of the endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo.
Valentine’s Day is coming up quick. If you’re a Fremonster, I assume you be forgetting all that Hershey’s and See’s Candies nonsense and picking up some local Theo Chocolate goodies for your sweetheart.
Just in case I need to sweeten (ahem) the deal for you, how bout if you could get some chocolate at a reduced rate AND help protect endangered wildlife?
Brouwer’s also gets a shout-out for their food by Nancy Leson of the Seattle Times. She praises their Belgian-style mussels and frites dish as one of the seafood dishes Seattlites should know about.
Seattle historic steamship, the Virginia V, will be hosting three holiday cruises in December, of which a portion of each will support Seattle-based non-profit organization Forgotten Children’s Fund. The ship departs from South Lake Union Park. Check Queen Anne View for more details.
Just because you can’t drive or go anywhere doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the snow. Takes these folks who’ve decided to make 41st Street and Fremont Avenue their personal sled hill.
Don’t worry, that’s a guy at the bottom “directing traffic.”
It’s not just the people having a good time. The animals at the Woodland Park Zoo seem to be enjoying themselves as well. Though I imagine this guy has more than a few questions…
Check out some more photos of the Zoo animals in the snow here. FYI, the zoo will be open between 10am and 3pm today in case you’re not doing anything. And I’m guessing that’s the case.
Hope you didn’t pick today for your big family outing to a local park and/or the Woodland Park Zoo this afternoon. Due to the weather, it’s a pretty sure bet that any of those places will not be open.
Seattle Parks And Recreation has announced that all community center activities will be canceled today and that all parks & athletic fields are closed. Your lacrosse game will just have to wait.
Just in case you were thinking about heading over to one of the local golf courses to do some sledding, don’t. They’re not allowing it simply because there isn’t enough snow there.
Woodland Park Zoo also sent out a note that they will be closing at 3 p.m. today. So I suppose if you really, really need to go check out how the red ruffed lemur is holding up in the snow, you’ve got a little bit of time.
The snow leopard, as you can imagine, is doing just fine.
We had just posted about car prowls near the Woodland Park Zoo, then officers responded to the zoo on Friday night after car prowl suspects reportedly scaled the fence and broke into the facility. Police called out K9 units and a helicopter, but they believe the suspects escaped over Aurora Ave.
The car prowl in question occurred at 59th and Evanston. Our sister site just to the north, Phinneywood has the full story here.
Woodland Park Zoo is holding a contest to name the eight members of its new meerkat mob.
Photo by Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo
The zoo has selected 16 names which reflect the meerkats? native southern African habitat. Voting is open from today through June 15. The eight highest vote getters will become the new names for the four male and four female meerkats.
Kalahari (African desert)
Kgala (?great thirst? in Tswana)
Acacia (African tree)
Kiwano (Kalahari fruit)
Nossob (southern African river)
Baobob (African plains tree)
Aranos (Namibian town)
Molopo (southern African river)
Gochas (Namibian settlement)
Ghanzi (town in Botswana)
Zimba (Zambian town)
Erongo (Namibian mountain)
Dinawa (?beans? in Tswana)
Nata (southern African river)
Kuruman (southern African river)
Ngami (lake in Botswana)
The poll is open to all ages, but if you?re under 18 you?ll need parental/guardian approval. Ballots are available at participating U.S. Bank locations across the Puget Sound region, in June 1-15 issues of The Seattle Times, on zoo grounds during business hours, and for download on the zoo?s website.
For complete rules, a list of participating U.S. Bank locations or to download a ballot, visit www.zoo.org/meerkats.
Voters will be entered to win a grand prize or one of two runner up prizes: 1.) Grand prize (one winner): A 3-day, 2-night trip for four (4) to San Diego including airfare, hotel accommodations at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, and tickets to local attractions including San Diego Zoo and Sea World; 2.) Runners up (two winners): $75 Woodland Park Zoo gift card and ZooParent meerkat adoption. The three winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries.
The eight most voted meerkat names and the three prize winners will be announced on July 1 at Red, White & Zoo when meerkats will enjoy a special watermelon treat as part of our annual Independence Day-themed enrichment event.
Latin music, a ribbon cutting and other festivities ushered in Woodland Park Zoo’s new West Entrance and its new meerkats exhibit yesterday morning.
The new entrance on Phinney Avenue between North 55th and 56th streets features a wide walkway winding its way down to a large central courtyard framed by a long ticketing area. The upbeat Latin sounds ofCocoLoco brightened the atmosphere on an otherwise gray, but dry, day.
“It’s so open,” said zoo spokesperson Gigi Allianic of the new entrance. “It’s a nice welcoming space.”
Whether it was the more inviting environs, or an improved setup, ticketing seemed to be much faster than at the old west entrance where long lines were common. Allianic said the true test will be on a warm, sunny, summer day, when crowds are at their peak.
Many zoo visitors who made a beeline for the heavily advertised meerkat exhibit were not disappointed by the playful, scampering animals.
We weren’t kidding about all the activity this weekend to usher in the beginning of a real spring to Seattle. We’ve posted about the Fremont Village Festival, May Day (Fremont Arts Council) and now, the opening of the Meerkats exhibit on Saturday.
After a 10-year absence, meerkats are back at the Woodland Park Zoo - and yes, it’s made the heart grow fonder. Perhaps it was “Meerkat Manor,” or the impression left by Rudyard Kipling’s mongoose hero Rikki Tikki Tavi, but for whatever reason, it’s hard to resist these social creatures.
Visitors to the zoo will be able to see 8 meerkats at the revamped Adaptations Building, where they can observe them diving into tunnels, taking care of their young, or in the pose most associated with them, standing at attention “as sentinels of their new habitat.”
Their new Seattle digs are a world away from their natural habitat: the semi-arid savanna of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Temperatures reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and drop close to freezing in the winter.
The zoo has created an experience that allows visitors to look into a log den and see what life is like inside meerkat burrows, which serve as nursery and nesting rooms.
Parents: your kids can co-opt meerkat behavior in a newly-built play area located at the north entrance of the building.
If you haven’t gone to the zoo in awhile, you’ll notice something else: the new West Entrance (at Phinney Ave. N. between N. 55th Street and N. 56th Street), which replaces the current North and West Entrances.
The zoo is going to debut a new entry system that is designed to reduce wait times on busy days from 45 minutes to no more than 5 minutes. Also at this new 58,000 square-foot entry point: access to stroller or wheelchair rental, restrooms, coffee, souvenirs, and improved membership services.
This story is part of an innovative partnership announced today between the Common Language Project, University of Washington and Next Door Media. Read about the partnership here.
As zoo officials announced the closure of the popular Nocturnal Exhibit, thousands of people turned to Facebook to organize an effort to save it. Photo courtesy Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo.
Thanks to Internet activism, the exhibit may not be closed forever, but a critical fundraising deadline looms. Click here to read “Lights out, Computer on.“
The Woodland Park Zoo has euthanized the oldest animal living at the zoo.
47-year-old Gertie the hippo has lived at the zoo since 1966. She was not only the oldest animal living at the zoo, it’s believed that she lived at the zoo longer than any other animal in the zoo’s 110 year history.
The decision to euthanize Gertie came after her health had been declining over the past year because of her age. Within the last week, the 5,000 pound hippo’s condition worsened and her ability to move became more challenging and her discomfort was more apparent. “We could no longer medically manage her pain and we had to follow her cue that the quality of her life was becoming seriously compromised,” said Dr. Darin Collins, the zoo’s director of Animal Health. “Therefore, we had to make the difficult, but humane, decision to euthanize her.” The life expectancy of a hippo in the wild is 45 years.
Woodland Park Zoo will be hopping with activities during Bunny Bounce on Saturday, April 3. Egg hunts begin at 9:30 a.m. for children ages one to eight. In support of the zoo’s conservation efforts, kids are encouraged to bring their own basket or bag for collecting eggs. However, there will also be a limited number of bags for egg hunters without one.
For the health and well being of zoo animals, candy will not be placed inside the eggs – egg hunt participants will receive their treats as they exit the zoo.
(Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo)
Animal residents at the zoo will also get their own Easter baskets of treats from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Baskets filled with berries, flowers and other favorite treats are given to animals as part of an enrichment plan to promote natural animal behavior and keep them mentally stimulated. Easter baskets will be given to the animals at the following times:
10:00 a.m. Orangutans, Jaguar, Keas
11:00 a.m. Snow leopards, Sloth bears
11:30 a.m. Pigs
12:00 p.m. Otters
12:30 p.m. Grizzlies
1:00 p.m. Gorillas
1:30 p.m. Tapirs, Malayan sun bears, Willawong Station, Penguins
2:00 p.m. Lemurs, Elephants
2:30 p.m. Golden lion tamarins
Cost to attend Bunny Bounce is free with zoo admission. For hours and more information, visit the zoo’s web site here.
Members from the Sound Animal Rights Alliance (SARA) are planning to demonstrate outside Fremont Studios on Thursday night. The animal rights advocates are calling for the retirement of Woodland Park Zoo elephants to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. A press release from SARA says the group is concerned that the zoo’s surviving elephants will begin dying off if not taken to a more elephant-friendly life.
“Their health is rapidly failing from captivity-related diseases”, says Nancy Farnam, SARA’s director. “Bamboo, Watoto, and Chai suffer from crippling arthritis and chronic foot infections, the leading causes of premature death in zoo elephants”, adds Farnam.
The demonstration is set to coincide with Woodland Park Zoo’s annual thrive! fundraiser that begins at 6 p.m tomorrow night at Fremont Studios (155 N. 35th St). Demonstrators plan to begin their protest at 5 p.m.
This is the last week to see your favorite creatures that go bump in the night at Woodland Park Zoo. The zoo’s Night Exhibit closes its doors on Monday, March 1.
(Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo)
Several animals will transfer to other exhibits within the zoo. Currently the north end of the Adaptations Building is closed to make modifications to house the Rodrigues fruit bats (seen above), tamanduas and springhaas that will move there. Construction is also being done for a new meerkats exhibit that brings them back to the zoo after a 10-year absence. Both the meerkat exhibit and Adaptations Building will re-open on May 1.
Closure of the Night Exhibit is due to the need for the zoo to reduce annual expenses by $800,000 to $1 million in order to prevent a budget shortfall. Since the Night Exhibit’s closure date was announced, the community has donated $5,500 to help modify existing areas for the remaining animals and to support their long-term care. Donations are still being accepted online or by mail to the “Nocturnal Animal Fund” at Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59th St, Seattle WA 98103.
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a big pail of poo. The Woodland Park Zoo is selling off a specially-crafted blend of Zoo Doo this year called Holidoo. This blend comes directly from the zoo’s elephant exhibit. It’s made up of the “end products” of the elephant manure and bedding, “the biggest and richest composting materials at the zoo,” according to the press release.
Now when you stop by 
Photo by Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo
