Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Hanako and Suki have been confirmed to have TB but will not be treated for it, due to their old age, though they don't plan to euthanize either of them.

Elephants at Tacoma Point Defiance zoo won't be treated for tuberculosis

 

Does TB endanger their lives? I hope not much.

 

I think there is the possibility that they could die from it, but I don't think TB is lethal 100% of the time with elephants. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.

 

The zoo brought in their new walruses.

Two orphaned walruses, rescued together in 2012, reunited at Point Defiance Zoo

 

The zoo's muskox Charlotte is pregnant.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium muskox Charlotte is expecting

 

Asian Elephant 'Hanako' was euthanized at the age of 56 and here is the zoo's press release:

Hanako the elephant is euthanized - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

 

So they're down to one, hopefully the animal rights activists will leave them alone.

 

Is Point Defiance one of the zoos that said it will get out of elephants once their last one passes away?

 

Yes, after this last one dies I believe the plan is to convert the yard into an Indian rhino exhibit (as per usual with most former elephant exhibits).

 

They went about this process of phasing out elephants perfectly IMO. No bowing to ridiculous peta pressure and moving elderly elephants across the country, but also realizing their significant space limitations couldnt support a suitable herd going forwards. The exhibit is already divided 50/50 and has pretty much everything required for a breeding pair of Indian Rhinos, looking forwards to seeing it come to fruition when the last elephant finally passes.

Still sad to see my state down to its final pachyderm however

 

Somewhere I heard that the zoo was planning to move Suki to the sanctuary to the other elephants. But I have not verified it.

 

What sanctuary?

 

There is nothing to verify as Point Defiance Zoo has never once stated that they were even considering sending any of their elephants to any kind of sanctuary.

The zoo's website has updated information on their level of elephant care:

Elephant Care - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Here is an article from 2015 that contains information stating that Point Defiance Zoo would consider "rhinoceroses" after the elephants die. On multiple occasions in the past the zoo has declared that rhinos would be an option (possibly Greater One-horned) in the future, but that the remaining elephants would see out their lives at the zoo. With Hanako now deceased, Suki will live out her years at the zoo.

Popular zoo elephants likely to get harder to see in future

 

It also seemed strange to me. At her age, she should stay at Point Defiance Zoo. So the information about the sanctuary was false.

 

Some news not published in the month:
Charlotte the muskox is pregnant - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
New Sea Turtle Bruno Arrives - Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Bruno Arrived January 30th.

 

A bit of an off topic question but can someone find out what species were present in the South Pacific aquarium? I am trying to clean up a life list and I have a bunch of fish and a particular horseshoe crab species that I cannot identify.

 

Baby Muskox born:
Charlotte the Muskox gave birth on June 7th to her calf. This is her first calf along with Hudson.

Security Check

 

Point Defiance Zoo and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Washington state have both reopened to the public. The aquariums at PDZ and all indoor buildings at both zoos remain closed. The list of other safety precautions and requirements can be found here: Point Defiance Zoo, Northwest Trek now open

 

A naming contest for the muskox calf is being held. The options are.

• Trebek (muskoxen are Alex Trebek’s favorite animal)
• Ollie (named after the children’s game ‘Olly olly oxen free’
• Capra (a variation of the scientific name for the muskoxen family)
• Mak (short for ‘oomingmak,’ the Inupiaq name for muskoxen)

Point Defiance Zoo asking for help in naming muskox calf

 

The nuskox calf has been named Trebek!