Calendar Advisory Contact: Gigi
Allianic, Wendy Hochnadel
August 17, 2007 206.684.4838
cell: 206.349.3533
Zoo Hours
Summer hours – 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. daily May 1 through September 30. The zoo is open every day except Christmas Day.
Summer Admission Fees
May 1-September 30: Adult (13-64) $15; Child (3-12) $10; Toddler (0-2) Free. Seniors and people with disabilities receive a discount and zoo members receive free zoo admission year-round. Parking: $4. Parking is limited. Please call Metro at 206.553.3000 for bus service to the zoo.
*** New *** Maasai Journey Summer Experience
From May 1 through September 30, Maasai Journey introduces visitors to the wonders of the African savanna with its awe-inspiring wildlife and the Maasai people who live there. Visitors have an opportunity to feed giraffes, the watchtowers of the savanna, from a platform in the award-winning African Savanna. Stunning ostrich rove the Savanna, making their first appearance at the zoo in more than 40 years. With personal stories, cultural interpreters from rural Maasailand in Kenya transport visitors to the distant lands of Africa. New zookeeper talks give visitors a chance to directly learn about their favorite savanna animals from those who care for them; and docents further enlighten visitors about the animals, the people and conservation projects in Africa. In addition, as an enhancement to the Maasai Journey, new African birds, goats and guinea fowl have been added to the Savanna.
Maasai Journey Programs
Programs are effective September 3 through September 30, 2007, except as noted. Locations and times of programs are posted at zoo entries.
African Savanna Safari – 11:00 a.m. daily. Join a Maasai interpreter on a safari around the zoo’s African Savanna. Along the way, discover hidden exhibit features such as footprints, skulls and teeth. Hear stories about encounters with African wild animals and use your tracking abilities to search for signs of wildlife.
African Village Storytelling – noon daily. Share an unforgettable experience of Maasai culture through the drama, storytelling or personal experiences of a Maasai interpreter.
African Village Tour – 4:00 p.m. daily. Get an in-depth look at the life and culture of the Maasai. Speak with Maasai interpreters who will highlight their connections with land and wildlife.
Conservation Connection – Schedule varies. Meet a docent and learn about the Maasai Association’s Waterholes Restoration Project, which will help restore a natural balance to savanna habitat in Kenya. As a partner in this project, the zoo contributes to the economic sustainability of the Maasai culture. Learn how you can help the Maasai in their commitment to wildlife and land stewardship.
Giraffe Feeding – 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. daily. Get up close to feed the giraffe on a raised platform near the African Savanna. Due to appetites, giraffe may not feed. Cost: $5 per person; free for kids 2 and under.
Hippos – 1:30 p.m. daily. Here’s your chance to see the zoo’s hippos up close and ask staff questions about these immense animals.
Lions and African Wild Dogs – 2:30 p.m. daily. Lions and wild dogs live in highly social units. Meet a keeper to learn more about these carnivores.
Maasai Journey Animal Experience – Schedule varies. Discover how African animals have special adaptations for survival. You may even get to touch an African animal! Look for presenters at the Savanna Outpost.
Patas Monkeys – 11:30 a.m. daily. Meet a keeper and discover remarkable facts about these interesting primates.
Upapi! (African Beading) – 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily. Upapi means “beading” in Swahili. Guests learn how beading has strong cultural ties in Africa and is significant to indigenous peoples. For a $3 fee, which helps support the zoo’s conservation efforts in Africa, visitors can make their own bracelet. See beadwork created by the Maasai Women’s Cooperative or purchase it at the ZooStore. Proceeds from the sale of this beadwork help educate Maasai children, while preserving their traditions and culture.
Wonderful Waterholes – 2:00 p.m. daily. Discover how conserving waterholes sustains wildlife and people in the African savanna. Receive tips and advice for saving water in your own home!
Public Programs
Programs are effective September 3 through September 30, 2007, except as noted. Locations and times of programs are posted at zoo entries.
All Birds Great and Small – 2:00 p.m. Mondays. Learn interesting facts about the beautiful birds in a quiet corner of the zoo. Listen for their fascinating calls and meet them up close as a keeper feeds them. Discover more about bird habits and habitats.
Animal Contact Experience – 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily. Touch domestic farm animals and learn more about them in supervised areas at the Family Farm. Subject to cancellation due to weather or animal availability.
Black and White Colobus – 1:30 p.m. Fridays. The roar of a male black and white colobus monkey can be heard up to a mile away! Meet zoo staff to learn more about these amazing animals.
Brown Bears – noon Tuesdays, Thursdays. How much does a brown bear weigh at birth? Does the brown bear really hibernate? Meet zoo staff to find out answers to these questions and learn more interesting facts about the mighty brown bear.
Croc Talk – 1:30 p.m. Mondays. Are crocodiles endangered? Do they eat everything in their sight? Learn more about these impressive African reptiles, and meet a zookeeper as they feed the crocodiles.
Elephant Talk – 2:00 p.m. daily. Meet the elephant keepers and learn about the zoo’s magnificent elephants. Discover how the zoo supports elephant conservation in the wild and what you can do to help create a sustainable future for wildlife.
Emus and Wallaroos, too – 2:00 p.m. Mondays. Here’s your chance to learn more about flightless birds and marsupials from Australia. The Australasia keeper will introduce you to our emus and wallaroos in their exhibit.
Explore the Temperate Wetlands – 2:00 p.m. Wednesdays. Take a short tour through this hidden corner of the zoo. Enjoy the serenity of watching and listening to birds as they feed. Join a zookeeper to learn more about waterfowl and herons.
Golden Lion Tamarins – 1:00 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays. Here’s your chance to learn about the reintroduction of these small monkeys back into the wilds of South America. A zookeeper will provide enrichment and then talk about these fascinating primates.
Gorillas – 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. Did you know that gorillas are more closely related to humans than they are to orangutans? Meet zoo staff and discover more about the remarkable gorilla.
Humboldt Penguin Feeding – 11:00 a.m. Fridays. Here’s your chance to watch zoo staff feed fish to the endangered Humboldt penguins.
Jaguars – 11:30 a.m. Saturdays. The reclusive jaguar is the largest feline in the New World. Did you know that jaguars are strong swimmers and follow their prey into water during the chase? Join zoo staff and learn more about this incredible predator.
Jaguar Quest — noon and 2:30 p.m. daily. Join a zoo interpreter in this reenactment of a day in the life as a jaguar researcher. Discover “tricks of the trade” researchers use to study the elusive jaguar and its tropical habitat.
Jive On Jaguars — 1:00 p.m. daily. Meet zoo staff to discover hidden secrets about the exhibit that most visitors never notice. Learn about the zoo's jaguars and jaguars in the wild.
Ocelot Feeding – 11:30 a.m. Fridays. Watch zoo staff feed live fish to an ocelot and learn how keepers use a variety of feeding techniques to enrich the lives of the zoo’s animals.
Orangutans – 11:30 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays. In the Malay language, orang means “people” and utan means “forest,” thus orangutan means “people of the forest.” Meet zoo staff and discover more about these outstanding animals.
Piranha Feeding – 11:15 a.m. Fridays. Here’s your chance to talk with zoo staff and watch as they feed live fish to the piranha. You’ll learn about the natural history and captive management of this astounding predator.
Raptors – 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Keepers will introduce you to our resident raptors. Learn more about these hunters of other birds, mammals and fish. Subject to cancellation due to weather.
Red Panda – 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Saturdays. Are red pandas related to bears or raccoons? Or, are they related to skunks or weasels? Why are they red and can climb trees? Discover more about this mysterious mammal!
Snow Leopards – 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Did you know that snow leopards can spring on prey up to 30 feet away? Meet zoo staff and learn other interesting facts about these shy, nocturnal and virtually unknown animals.
Wolves/Elk – 12:30 p.m. Thursdays. Here’s your opportunity to learn how these predators and prey co-exist in their wild environment and with humans.
More Fun…
Bug Club (fee based) Do you think crickets are cool and ants are outrageous? Then join Bug Club! Bug Club is for children 5 years and older who love bugs! Bug Club meets one Sunday per month. For information or an application, call 206.684.4841 or see the Web site at www.zoo.org.
Butterflies & Blooms, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily through September 30. The serene experience treats visitors to a vibrant display of nearly 1,000 free-flying butterflies representing at least 15 North American species at all times. Experience a colorful explosion of flowering plants in bloom and an outdoor conservation garden. Now free with zoo admission.
Historic Carousel, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily. Woodland Park Zoo’s North Meadow is the permanent habitat for 48 classic, hand-carved wooden carousel horses and the lovingly restored vintage 1918 carousel they call home. These magical and playful creatures are one-of-a-kind…and are sure to bring out the inner child in everyone. The carousel was the 45th carousel constructed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company for the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918. Famous for its dedication to engineering masterworks and exquisitely carved horses – most hand-carved by master craftsman John Zalar – the Philadelphia Toboggan Company produced some of the most beautiful carousels ever constructed. Cost: $2 per ride in addition to zoo admission.
Classes and Camps (fee based). A wide variety of classes for children, families and adults are offered on weekends throughout the year. From Early Bird Zoo Tours that take you behind the scenes with a keeper to Evening Story Safaris for preschoolers to photography at the zoo for adults and teens…there are many
exciting opportunities for individuals or the whole family! Zooper Day Camps, for children ages 4-13, are offered during school vacations throughout the year. For information or an application, call 206.684.4841 or see the Web site at www.zoo.org.
Reptiles on Wheels/Bugs on Wheels. While visiting the zoo, look for special carts with banners titled “Reptiles on Wheels” or “Bugs on Wheels.” Stop by and see strange and beautiful reptiles or bugs up close.
Habitat Ramblers: Look for the "Ask Me" button. Habitat Ramblers can be found in the African Savanna, Northern Trail, Tropical Asia or Tropical Rain Forest. With a variety of animal props and enrichment items used by keepers, volunteer Habitat Ramblers share information about bioclimatic zones, animal enrichment activities and conservation efforts.
Willawong Station, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily. This walk-thru bird feeding experience transports visitors to the world of the Australian parrot – and the Australian grasslands habitat – right here at the zoo. Willawong Station is a fun opportunity for the whole family to get up close and feed birds in a controlled, safe environment while learning about responsible care for birds both in the wild and at home. The aviary includes approximately 150 free-flying birds, primarily small colorful Australian parrots. Free with regular zoo admission. Visitors can purchase seed sticks to feed the birds for an additional fee of $1 per stick.
Zoo Overnight and Evening Adventures (fee based). Grab a flock of your favorite “detective” friends and join zoo staff to unravel the Mystery of the Missing Penguin. Has he flown the coop? Did someone plan the perfect penguin caper? Is this a case of “fowl” play? During your adventure, you’ll come up-close and personal with an interesting zoo resident and get the inside scoop on our animals. Follow a trail of evidence on a guided zoo tour to determine whodunit. Pick up a flier at the Education Center or call 206.684.4839 for reservations. Information and registration are also available on our Web site at www.zoo.org.
Zoomazium, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily. Nature Exchange closes at 5:00 p.m. If you’re 8 and under (and, of course, parents), you’ll love Zoomazium! The new indoor, nature play space offers play and learning in a fun, safe and stimulating environment all year long. Here, kids can connect with animals, habitats and more through the natural language of childhood – play! Crawl through a hidden cave. Squirm through a nurse log. Climb a giant strangler fig tree. Trade observations for nature items at the Nature Exchange. The interactive center is near the West Entrance. Free with zoo admission.
Gifts/Food: Visit the ZooStore for extraordinary gifts and zoo souvenirs and the Rain Forest Food Pavilion to quench your thirst or appetite. Open daily during regular zoo hours.
Info: For more information and how to become a zoo member, call 206.684.4800 or 684.4026 (TTY), or visit the zoo’s website at www.zoo.org.
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Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos all over the world. The 21st century zoo helps save animals and their habitats in Washington state and around the world. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo makes a difference in our planet’s future.