It’s a bit embarrassing to admit it took me over 8 months to visit Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo after moving to the Emerald City. You would think that it would be the first place I’d head to! However, between a record-breaking heat last summer, the overall business of getting moved and settled, and a general dislike of walking around in the cold, I kept finding other things to do. I finally got to visit in April! Here’s what I thought of Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo.

*Note: Due to the bird flu outbreaks around the US, the bird exhibits at Woodland Park Zoo are closed to the public. I will update this article when they reopen! – June 4, 2022

Exhibits at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo

Unlike many zoos, Woodland Park Zoo does not organize its exhibits by country. Instead, they are divided into bioclimatic zones with some animals getting their own sections. The areas include: African Savannah,  Assam Rhino Reserve, Australasia, Molbak’s Butterfly Garden, Humboldt Penguin Exhibit, Living Northwest Trail, Temperate Forest, Trail of Adaptations, Tropical Asia, Tropical Rainforest, and an educational area with ambassador animals. 

The exhibits are spread over 92 acres and are home to over 900 animals and 250 species. It will definitely take you 3-4 hours to see everything!

My Experience at Woodland Park Zoo

During my visit, there were three exhibits that really stood out to me: the bird walks, primate exhibits, and the Chilean penguin exhibit. 

Throughout the zoo there are multiple bird walks where you enter a screened-in outdoor area with free-flying birds. The gardens inside these areas were absolutely beautiful and the birds seemed so relaxed! I even spotted an elusive Frogmouth hiding in a tree; a species I had always wanted to see!

Look at this beautiful frogmouth!

Penguin houses are always really fun! Woodland Park has a really sizable Chilean Penguin exhibit where you can clearly see the penguins both above and below the water. It was much larger than most other penguin exhibits I’ve seen at other zoos, and the birds were relaxed and socialized easily with each other. The exhibit is outside, but don’t worry! Chilean penguins come from southern Chile where the temperatures are similar to Seattle’s throughout the year, so they feel right at home.

I loved watching the penguins at Woodland Park!

Finally, I found the primate exhibits at Woodland Park Zoo to be exceptional! Lemurs, orangutans, and gorillas all had massive spaces full of natural enrichment including foliage, toys, and foraging spaces. I spent the most amount of time watching a baby gorilla learning to forage leaves and a large orangutan coloring with chalk on a perch. It was so fun!

 

Conservation & Animal Care

As an AZA-accredited zoo, Woodland Park uses the most up-to-date data to care for its animals. It was one of the first zoos in the world to use landscape immersion exhibits where animals are completely surrounded by naturalistic landscapes that mimic their natural environment and help mute acoustics. Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo has also won several awards including multiple Best National Exhibit awards from the AZA.

AZA-accredited zoos are required to participate in conservation programs, and Woodland Park is no exception. As of writing this article (April 2022), the current programs include: 

  • Living Northwest – a program focused on recovering threatened species in the Pacific Northwest and helping people and wildlife coexist in the surrounding areas
  • Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program – working with local communities in Papa New Guinea to protect the endangered tree kangaroo and its habitat
  • Various conservation partners and Wildlife survival plans

Know Before You Go

My one complaint about my visit to Woodland Park Zoo was the multiple exhibit closures. While I wouldn’t normally be upset by this, none of the closures were announced or labeled on their website, making parts of my visit a little disappointing. If you are visiting in the summer and on other high tourist traffic days, this will probably not be an issue. However, if you are worried, you can call ahead and double-check that an exhibit you are excited about is, in fact, open.

 

Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo also has multiple events, keeper talks, and scheduled feedings throughout each day. Check their schedule so you don’t miss anything exciting during your visit!

Finally, in an effort to limit litter and trash production, Woodland Park does not use paper maps. I found it a little difficult to get around with the lack of paper and posted maps around the park. Be sure to scan the QR code for the map at the front of the park!

Final Thoughts

Overall, I thought Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo was absolutely incredible! I didn’t note any animals appearing anything less than relaxed and every exhibit was full of enrichment items. The keepers I spoke to were knowledgeable and extremely friendly and helpful. I highly recommend visiting!

To learn more about the history of the zoo and how they promote conservation, check out my podcast episode!

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