Woodland Park Zoo Press Release

SEATTLE - Woodland Park Zoo will soon be flocked with pink flamingos…no, not the plastic lawn ornament ones, but the real deal. After a 15-year absence from the zoo, Chilean flamingos are making a comeback to a new exhibit opening May 24, 2008. An opening celebration will feature a fun-filled day of entertainment, activities, flamingos and fun for zoo-goers. The new flamingo exhibit is presented by The Boeing Company and is located near the zoo’s Temperate Forest.

Younger visitors are sure to be tickled pink as they get up close to the elegant, slender-necked birds. Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Why are they pink? How many eggs per nest? Kids will find answers to these questions, and more, as they enjoy several interactive features to engage playing and learning, including: a toddler-sized path with life-size representations of Chilean flamingo nests to explore; child-proof eggs that look every bit as authentic as the real thing; and a bas relief sculpture of a flamingo head and neck to touch and see how flamingos eat.

The approximately 4,000-square-foot exhibit will open with a flock of more than 25 Chilean flamingos, and is designed with an eye on conserving water. Features that keep the main, 6,000-gallon shallow pool clean and clear while minimizing water use include a UV sterilizer, bead filter, and a separate feeding pool to reduce biological load on the main pool.

The hardy, social birds of South America stand an impressive 40 to 42 inches tall. They have a range that extends from an elevation of 15,420 feet in the altiplano (high mountain plateau), to lowland saline estuaries where some overwinter along the southwest Chilean coast. The new exhibit will mimic the coastal salt marshes and estuaries of the temperate forest zone of Chile, specifically the island of Chiloé where flamingos find winter refuge.

“ One can’t help but be awed by the striking appearance and grace of flamingos,” notes Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Dr. Deborah Jensen. “Thanks to the generosity of Nick and DeEtte Johnson who donated the flock of flamingos to the zoo and a leadership gift to build the exhibit, our guests will have the opportunity to see flamingos up close and have fun learning about their behavior, habitat and what they need in the wild to survive.”

The opening celebration will take place Saturday, May 24, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Festivities include: complimentary, pink mini-cupcakes by Cupcake Royale (while supplies last), giveaways such as flamingo pens, photo puzzles, bubbles and foam visors, live entertainment, free programs, and kids’ crafts and activities.

Summer hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. For admission fees and other information, visit www.zoo.org or call 206.548.2500.

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. Conservation, education and excellent animal care are at the core of the zoo’s mission. The zoo is helping to save animals and their habitats in Washington state and around the world including tree kangaroos, snow leopards, red-crowned cranes, African wild dogs, western pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future.