Award-winning Exhibits

 

 

Jaguar Cove – Open 2003

A lush, light-dappled forest, a warm, sandy shoreline, a pool fed by a waterfall, simulated limestone cliffs, and more than 1,500 plants mimic the natural world of the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere - the jaguar. The 3,850-square-foot exhibit quadruples the size of the jaguar's former exhibit, making it one of the largest and most naturalistic exhibits dedicated to jaguars in any zoo.

 

Trail of Vines - Open 1996

Here, visitors take an intriguing journey to the shola forests of the Western Ghats in India; a rocky outcrop in Malaysia; and a forest canopy in Northern Borneo. The 2.7-acre exhibit presents lion-tailed macaques, Malayan tapirs, siamang apes and Indian pythons. The trail concludes with an elevated boardwalk where visitors come eye-to-eye with orangutans living in treetops and behaving much as they do in the wild; this outdoor habitat is the first-ever, open forested canopy for orangutans.

 

Northern Trail - Open 1994

The 6-acre exhibit transports visitors to three cold, rugged regions of the far north: the weather-stunted forests of the taiga, the treeless plains of the tundra and the high crags of the montane. Animal residents include grizzly bears, wolves, elk, river otters, mountain goats and bald eagles. The expansive exhibit contains seven distinct plant communities ranging from white and black spruce to quaking aspen to dwarf arctic willow. Highlights include a crawl-in wolf den, a bear cave, underwater viewing of grizzlies and river otters, an eagle viewing shelter, and a breathtaking 10-foot curving mural that immerses visitors in the arctic tundra.

 

Tropical Rain Forest - Open 1992

Home to the greatest concentration of plant and animal species at the zoo, nearly 70 animal and more than 680 plant species represent Asian, African, and Central and South American rain forests. From the forest floor to the understory to the canopy, visitors encounter ocelots, poison dart frogs, snakes and birds in an indoor, humid environment. The outdoor loop features lemurs and two western lowland gorilla groups.

 

Elephant Forest - Open 1989

Zoo-goers roam through a grove of one of the largest public displays of bamboo in the Pacific Northwest and emerge within a logging camp modeled after the forests in Thailand, where elephants and humans live and work together. The elephant trails provide a diverse, rolling terrain to explore, including soft dirt, grass to walk on and graze, sand, mud and an elephant pool. Trees, grass and shrubs are plentiful, providing shade, texture and leaves to browse on. Indoors, a spacious heated elephant barn includes rubber cushioned floors to protect feet and joints, as well as keeping the herd warm on cool winter nights. The barn also features an area for showers and a warm splash tub.

 

Africa Savanna - Open 1980

The 4.5-acre exhibit allows zoo visitors to view a community of species found in the dry grasslands of Africa. The zoo's savanna is home to giraffe, oryx, patas monkeys, hippos, zebras, birds and, in their own exhibit, of course, lions and African wild dogs (see below for information on the African wild dog exhibit).

 

 

 

Exhibit Standouts

 

 

Zoomazium - Open 2006

Designed for kids ages 8 and under (and their parents), Zoomazium is an indoor, all-season, nature play space where kids can connect with animals, habitats and more through the natural language of childhood – play! A day in the 5,500-square-foot Zoomazium play space might include ascending a mountain, crawling through a nurse log, climbing a towering strangler fig tree or squirming through a dark cave. At Nature Exchange, kids can trade their nature knowledge and observations for all kinds of fascinating things like a fossilized shark’s tooth. Storytelling, live animal demonstrations, videos, theatre performance, arts and crafts, and more await inquisitive and playful youngsters. Zoomazium has earned Gold Certification, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System by the U.S. Green Building Council.

 

Willawong Station - Open 2005

The walk-thru experience transports visitors to the world of Australian parrots and offers visitors a fun opportunity to feed more than 150 free-flying colorful birds – they literally have them eating right out of their hands! The bird collection includes: budgerigars (known as parakeets or budgies), cockatiels (the smallest member of the cockatoo family) and rosellas. Visitors also are encouraged to discover more about the birds they are interacting with, and to learn about responsible care and conservation for birds both in the wild and at home. $1 for each seed sticks. Hours vary seasonally.

 

African Wild Dog - Open 2002

Known as the wolves of Africa, they are gentle and considerate, and they carefully tend to their old, young and sick. African wild dogs are “the caring carnivores.” And, for many visitors, this will be their first-ever encounter with a species rarely seen in zoos. A pack of four male siblings live in the zoo’s approximately 5,000-square-foot enclosure that evokes an eastern or southern African floodplain-riverbank habitat where African wild dogs live.

 

African Village - Open 2001

Enter a window into Africa and discover the world of wildlife through the eyes of the people who live in savanna grasslands...Open year-round, Woodland Park Zoo’s new African Village is a remarkable celebration of African culture and wildlife. As zoo-goers are drawn into the rural village life of East Africa, they encounter a Traditional Kikuya House, Nyika Primary School, a Banda Hut, an array of different authentic objects and more. From the schoolhouse await the wonders of savanna wildlife: a sweeping view dotted with towering giraffe, grazing oryx, streaked zebra and sprightly patas monkeys.

Beginning weekends in mid-February visitors can hear African folklore, real-life stories and anecdotes by a Maasai from Kenya, or take an informal guided tour. Feel the heartbeat of the local people and sense the vibrancy of Africa…

 

Dragons of Komodo - Open May 2000

They’re big, carnivorous and rare. Dragons of Komodo offers a glimpse into a typical day and life of the largest lizard in the world. Komodo dragons are found only on a few small Indonesian Islands, and can reach lengths of more than 9 feet. The permanent exhibit displays a juvenile female and 7 1/2-foot adult male.

 

Butterflies & Blooms (seasonal) - Open 1998

From mid-May through September 30, Butterflies & Blooms promises a serene explosion of 1,000 free-flying butterflies and colorful blooms! Zoo-goers amble among a variety of butterfly habitats, including a woodland clearing, meadow’s edge and open meadow. A Conservation Garden demonstrates how butterfly enthusiasts and beginners can attract and sustain wild butterflies in their own backyards.

 

Bug World – Open 1997

From the temperate forest and desert, to the savanna and tropics, this exhibit unleashes the world of amazing arthropods — earth's smallest animals. From “singing” katydids, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, New Guinea walkingsticks, desert millipedes, dung beetles and scorpions, visitors are sure to walk away with a greater appreciation for these critters. 

 

Woodland Park Rose Garden

Elegant wrought iron gates at the entrance open to grass pathways circulating through the garden. More than 5,000 rose bushes are carefully laid out in formal architectural design embellished by a lily pond and gazebo. Featuring 260 varieties of roses, the 2.5-acre garden is one of only 24 All-America Rose Selections test sites in the United States.

                                                                  

Day and Night Exhibits

Visitors get a slice of desert life in the heated Day Exhibit and a peek into nature’s nightshift in the adjoining Night Exhibit. Day features a gallery of smaller-scale exhibits that showcases amphibians and reptiles that have adapted to life in deserts or tropical forests: poisonous Gila monster lizards, golden lion tamarin monkeys, dwarf crocodiles and king cobras. Kids especially love the striking 18-foot reticulated python and the squeamish exhibit of thousands of gigantic Brazilian cockroaches. A walk through Night treats visitors to two-toed sloths, a variety of prosimians, tamanduas (lesser anteaters), and Australian fruit bats and vampire bats.

 

Family Farm with Seasonal Contact Area

The Family Farm, with its interactive Contact Area, is one of the most popular exhibits at the zoo. Children of all ages have the opportunity to touch a variety of domestic animals, such as goats, rabbits or sheep, see how a real farm works, and visit the Discovery Barn, full of hands-on experiences, activities and crafts. Recent kid-friendly farm additions for parents and children to explore and learn together include: a life-size cow to milk, a circa 1941 tractor to sit and climb on, playful worm sculptures for wiggling and crawling through, a video showing chicks hatching and growing up, and more. Contact Area opens spring and summer.

 

 

 

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