Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
@ptdefiancezoo.bsky.social
The only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest.
Happy Walrus Day! Our 2,640-pound male walrus, Balzak (pronounced BELL-zik), is enjoying fresh sustainable seafood and ice treats for enrichment.
Walruses like Balzak are equipped with incredibly powerful suction abilities, allowing them to create vacuum-like seals to feed on the ocean floor.
Walruses like Balzak are equipped with incredibly powerful suction abilities, allowing them to create vacuum-like seals to feed on the ocean floor.
November 24, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Happy Walrus Day! Our 2,640-pound male walrus, Balzak (pronounced BELL-zik), is enjoying fresh sustainable seafood and ice treats for enrichment.
Walruses like Balzak are equipped with incredibly powerful suction abilities, allowing them to create vacuum-like seals to feed on the ocean floor.
Walruses like Balzak are equipped with incredibly powerful suction abilities, allowing them to create vacuum-like seals to feed on the ocean floor.
Red Wolf sisters Peat and Willow have moved to our off-site Red Wolf facility in an effort to save this critically endangered species. Their new home is part of the SAFE American Red Wolf program, where carefully matched wolves help ensure a healthy future population.
November 24, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Red Wolf sisters Peat and Willow have moved to our off-site Red Wolf facility in an effort to save this critically endangered species. Their new home is part of the SAFE American Red Wolf program, where carefully matched wolves help ensure a healthy future population.
Meet Ruby, our charismatic 10-year-old hornbill! While she can fly, ground hornbills actually spend most of their time walking across their habitat, carefully searching for food. They’re also incredibly vocal, using their bright red wattles to create deep, booming calls that can carry for miles.
November 20, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Meet Ruby, our charismatic 10-year-old hornbill! While she can fly, ground hornbills actually spend most of their time walking across their habitat, carefully searching for food. They’re also incredibly vocal, using their bright red wattles to create deep, booming calls that can carry for miles.
Arctic foxes, Sven and Freya, the most perfect snow puffs!
During summer, an Arctic fox's fur changes to a brown-grayish hue to camouflage with the tundra. They sport a fluffy white coat in winter to blend in with the snow and ice.
During summer, an Arctic fox's fur changes to a brown-grayish hue to camouflage with the tundra. They sport a fluffy white coat in winter to blend in with the snow and ice.
November 19, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Arctic foxes, Sven and Freya, the most perfect snow puffs!
During summer, an Arctic fox's fur changes to a brown-grayish hue to camouflage with the tundra. They sport a fluffy white coat in winter to blend in with the snow and ice.
During summer, an Arctic fox's fur changes to a brown-grayish hue to camouflage with the tundra. They sport a fluffy white coat in winter to blend in with the snow and ice.
Join us in wishing Laerke a beary happy 5th birthday today! 🎂🐻❄️
Celebrate with us and learn more about Laerke during our daily polar bear keeper chats. Happy BEARthday, Laerke! 🎉
Celebrate with us and learn more about Laerke during our daily polar bear keeper chats. Happy BEARthday, Laerke! 🎉
November 18, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Join us in wishing Laerke a beary happy 5th birthday today! 🎂🐻❄️
Celebrate with us and learn more about Laerke during our daily polar bear keeper chats. Happy BEARthday, Laerke! 🎉
Celebrate with us and learn more about Laerke during our daily polar bear keeper chats. Happy BEARthday, Laerke! 🎉
The Zoo comes aglow with more than 1.5 million sparkling lights during Zoolights, Nov. 28-Jan. 4! ✨
🎟️ Online timed tickets are required and selling fast! Get yours at pdza.org/zoolights
🎟️ Online timed tickets are required and selling fast! Get yours at pdza.org/zoolights
November 17, 2025 at 10:45 PM
The Zoo comes aglow with more than 1.5 million sparkling lights during Zoolights, Nov. 28-Jan. 4! ✨
🎟️ Online timed tickets are required and selling fast! Get yours at pdza.org/zoolights
🎟️ Online timed tickets are required and selling fast! Get yours at pdza.org/zoolights
Say hello to Fender, our critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish, making waves in the Tropical Reef Aquarium!
Our aquarists and veterinary team worked together for a smooth, carefully monitored transfer to the Outer Reef habitat, ensuring the 230-pound guitarfish settled safely into his new home.
Our aquarists and veterinary team worked together for a smooth, carefully monitored transfer to the Outer Reef habitat, ensuring the 230-pound guitarfish settled safely into his new home.
November 14, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Say hello to Fender, our critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish, making waves in the Tropical Reef Aquarium!
Our aquarists and veterinary team worked together for a smooth, carefully monitored transfer to the Outer Reef habitat, ensuring the 230-pound guitarfish settled safely into his new home.
Our aquarists and veterinary team worked together for a smooth, carefully monitored transfer to the Outer Reef habitat, ensuring the 230-pound guitarfish settled safely into his new home.
Aquarium cuties for the rainy day! 🐠☔
Your Zoo admission includes our two aquariums, perfect for staying dry while exploring under the sea!
Your Zoo admission includes our two aquariums, perfect for staying dry while exploring under the sea!
November 13, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Aquarium cuties for the rainy day! 🐠☔
Your Zoo admission includes our two aquariums, perfect for staying dry while exploring under the sea!
Your Zoo admission includes our two aquariums, perfect for staying dry while exploring under the sea!
Our veterinary team recently performed a delicate eye surgery to remove a cataract from our filefish. Working with veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Kice, our team successfully removed the cloudy lens, helping this fish see (and eat!) more easily again. The patient is now recovering behind the scenes.
November 12, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Our veterinary team recently performed a delicate eye surgery to remove a cataract from our filefish. Working with veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Kice, our team successfully removed the cloudy lens, helping this fish see (and eat!) more easily again. The patient is now recovering behind the scenes.
Peanut + Butter = Shark-saving power couple! 🦈💕 Seven zebra shark eggs from Peanut & Butter have arrived at the RARCC Nursery in Raja Ampat. As part of the global StAR Project, these eggs will hatch, grow, and contribute to the rebuilding of endangered wild populations. 💙
📸: RARCC
📸: RARCC
November 12, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Peanut + Butter = Shark-saving power couple! 🦈💕 Seven zebra shark eggs from Peanut & Butter have arrived at the RARCC Nursery in Raja Ampat. As part of the global StAR Project, these eggs will hatch, grow, and contribute to the rebuilding of endangered wild populations. 💙
📸: RARCC
📸: RARCC
Veterans' Appreciation Days continue tomorrow, Nov. 11, 9am-3:30pm. US military veterans and active-duty service members receive free admission, while their immediate family members enjoy half-off general admission as a heartfelt thank you. This special offer is available only at our ticket window.
November 11, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Veterans' Appreciation Days continue tomorrow, Nov. 11, 9am-3:30pm. US military veterans and active-duty service members receive free admission, while their immediate family members enjoy half-off general admission as a heartfelt thank you. This special offer is available only at our ticket window.
Up close with 2-year-old Willow, the muskox munching on some tasty lichen! Beneath that fuzzy, shaggy coat, muskoxen have a super-soft underlayer called qiviut, one of the warmest natural fibers in the world.
📹: Keeper Russell
📹: Keeper Russell
November 10, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Up close with 2-year-old Willow, the muskox munching on some tasty lichen! Beneath that fuzzy, shaggy coat, muskoxen have a super-soft underlayer called qiviut, one of the warmest natural fibers in the world.
📹: Keeper Russell
📹: Keeper Russell
Polar bear keeper Stephanie traveled to Churchill, Manitoba with Polar Bears International to see polar bears in the wild and learn about the effects of melting sea ice. Inspired by what she saw, she’s sharing ways we can all protect these Arctic icons! 🌎🐻❄️💙 pdza.org/a-keepers-journey-to-churchill
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Polar bear keeper Stephanie traveled to Churchill, Manitoba with Polar Bears International to see polar bears in the wild and learn about the effects of melting sea ice. Inspired by what she saw, she’s sharing ways we can all protect these Arctic icons! 🌎🐻❄️💙 pdza.org/a-keepers-journey-to-churchill
Meet Fender, a majestic 6′7″, 230-lb bowmouth guitarfish! One of only nine pups to survive after his mother was caught in a fishing net, Fender represents a critically endangered species.
Come see Fender at the Tropical Reef Aquarium and learn how you can help protect ocean wildlife. 💙
Come see Fender at the Tropical Reef Aquarium and learn how you can help protect ocean wildlife. 💙
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Meet Fender, a majestic 6′7″, 230-lb bowmouth guitarfish! One of only nine pups to survive after his mother was caught in a fishing net, Fender represents a critically endangered species.
Come see Fender at the Tropical Reef Aquarium and learn how you can help protect ocean wildlife. 💙
Come see Fender at the Tropical Reef Aquarium and learn how you can help protect ocean wildlife. 💙
It’s #PolarBearWeek! 🐻❄️ Meet Laerke, our polar bear ambassador, as we celebrate and raise awareness for her wild cousins facing a changing Arctic. Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt, travel, and raise their young, but that ice is melting earlier each year as our climate warms.
November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM
It’s #PolarBearWeek! 🐻❄️ Meet Laerke, our polar bear ambassador, as we celebrate and raise awareness for her wild cousins facing a changing Arctic. Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt, travel, and raise their young, but that ice is melting earlier each year as our climate warms.
No bones, no brains, no teeth, fins or even blood – in fact, jellies are mostly water. But they survive in oceans all over the world, and are mesmerizingly beautiful as well. Drift with the jellies at our Pacific Seas Aquarium. 🪼 #WorldJellyfishDay
November 4, 2025 at 2:57 AM
No bones, no brains, no teeth, fins or even blood – in fact, jellies are mostly water. But they survive in oceans all over the world, and are mesmerizingly beautiful as well. Drift with the jellies at our Pacific Seas Aquarium. 🪼 #WorldJellyfishDay
Celebrate #WorldJellyfishDay! 🪼
Jellyfish have no bones, brains, or blood, just pure underwater grace. 🌊 Come marvel at the mesmerizing Pacific Sea Nettles and more in our Pacific Seas Aquarium! ✨
Jellyfish have no bones, brains, or blood, just pure underwater grace. 🌊 Come marvel at the mesmerizing Pacific Sea Nettles and more in our Pacific Seas Aquarium! ✨
November 4, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Celebrate #WorldJellyfishDay! 🪼
Jellyfish have no bones, brains, or blood, just pure underwater grace. 🌊 Come marvel at the mesmerizing Pacific Sea Nettles and more in our Pacific Seas Aquarium! ✨
Jellyfish have no bones, brains, or blood, just pure underwater grace. 🌊 Come marvel at the mesmerizing Pacific Sea Nettles and more in our Pacific Seas Aquarium! ✨
🐾🐻❄️ It’s #PolarBearWeek! 🐻❄️🐾
Laerke the polar bear is celebrating with a special icy treat made from propeller clams, sweet potato, and Gatorade for extra hydration! 💙 This cool enrichment keeps Laerke curious and engages her natural foraging instincts.
Laerke the polar bear is celebrating with a special icy treat made from propeller clams, sweet potato, and Gatorade for extra hydration! 💙 This cool enrichment keeps Laerke curious and engages her natural foraging instincts.
November 4, 2025 at 1:00 AM
🐾🐻❄️ It’s #PolarBearWeek! 🐻❄️🐾
Laerke the polar bear is celebrating with a special icy treat made from propeller clams, sweet potato, and Gatorade for extra hydration! 💙 This cool enrichment keeps Laerke curious and engages her natural foraging instincts.
Laerke the polar bear is celebrating with a special icy treat made from propeller clams, sweet potato, and Gatorade for extra hydration! 💙 This cool enrichment keeps Laerke curious and engages her natural foraging instincts.
Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and wildly happy #Halloween! 🎃
October 31, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and wildly happy #Halloween! 🎃
An adorable throwback to Tilli the aardvark using her incredible sniffer, putting her powerful sense of smell to the test! She inspected keeper Brynn’s 53-pound homegrown Cinderella pumpkin, filled with yogurt for a fun and enriching treat. 🎃 #HappyHalloween
📷: Keeper Alex
📷: Keeper Alex
October 31, 2025 at 10:42 PM
An adorable throwback to Tilli the aardvark using her incredible sniffer, putting her powerful sense of smell to the test! She inspected keeper Brynn’s 53-pound homegrown Cinderella pumpkin, filled with yogurt for a fun and enriching treat. 🎃 #HappyHalloween
📷: Keeper Alex
📷: Keeper Alex
Albert, our black-and-white ruffed lemur, is going bananas for #WorldLemurDay! These endangered lemurs inhabit the rainforests of Madagascar and primarily feed on fruit, as well as nectar, flowers, and leaves. Their fruit-heavy diet makes them important seed spreaders, helping the forest grow!
October 31, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Albert, our black-and-white ruffed lemur, is going bananas for #WorldLemurDay! These endangered lemurs inhabit the rainforests of Madagascar and primarily feed on fruit, as well as nectar, flowers, and leaves. Their fruit-heavy diet makes them important seed spreaders, helping the forest grow!
Lemur pumpkin fun for #WorldLemurDay! 🎃
Lemurs live in a matriarchal society, where females are the ones in charge. Lemurs are social primates and tend to live in groups where communication is key.
Lemurs live in a matriarchal society, where females are the ones in charge. Lemurs are social primates and tend to live in groups where communication is key.
October 31, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Lemur pumpkin fun for #WorldLemurDay! 🎃
Lemurs live in a matriarchal society, where females are the ones in charge. Lemurs are social primates and tend to live in groups where communication is key.
Lemurs live in a matriarchal society, where females are the ones in charge. Lemurs are social primates and tend to live in groups where communication is key.
Tiny pumpkin, big progress! 🎃 Clara the rescued sea otter is learning new behaviors through positive reinforcement training. These sessions help strengthen trust with her care team, and make learning fun! 🦦
📹: Keeper Kristyn
#happyhalloween #seaotter #pumpkin
📹: Keeper Kristyn
#happyhalloween #seaotter #pumpkin
October 31, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Tiny pumpkin, big progress! 🎃 Clara the rescued sea otter is learning new behaviors through positive reinforcement training. These sessions help strengthen trust with her care team, and make learning fun! 🦦
📹: Keeper Kristyn
#happyhalloween #seaotter #pumpkin
📹: Keeper Kristyn
#happyhalloween #seaotter #pumpkin
We asked our veterinary team to give us an inside look at some of our animals, and their not-so-spooky skeletons! 🦴👻 Veterinarians use radiographs (x-rays) to check on animal health and provide the best care possible.
🩻 pdza.org/inside-look-at-animals-skeletons
🩻 pdza.org/inside-look-at-animals-skeletons
October 30, 2025 at 10:45 PM
We asked our veterinary team to give us an inside look at some of our animals, and their not-so-spooky skeletons! 🦴👻 Veterinarians use radiographs (x-rays) to check on animal health and provide the best care possible.
🩻 pdza.org/inside-look-at-animals-skeletons
🩻 pdza.org/inside-look-at-animals-skeletons
Join us October 31–November 2 for Día de los Muertos, a celebration of remembrance and reflection. In partnership with Tacoma’s SAMi High School Spanish students, the Zoo’s ofrenda honors animals that have touched our lives.
October 30, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Join us October 31–November 2 for Día de los Muertos, a celebration of remembrance and reflection. In partnership with Tacoma’s SAMi High School Spanish students, the Zoo’s ofrenda honors animals that have touched our lives.