Another spin around the sun – what a year it has been! Northwest Trek Wildlife Park welcomed and provided homes to three orphaned moose calves and partnered to help conserve wild bat and northern leopard frog populations, among so many other moments. Thanks for being on this journey with us. Enjoy our best photos of 2022, taken by staff photographer Katie Cotterill.
Northwest Trek is home to one of the largest bat colonies in the South Puget Sound region. We partnered with scientists to help protect wild bats from white-nose syndrome.
Amphibian egg masses were monitored at our four-acre wetland mitigation site at Northwest Trek. Keepers at Northwest Trek raised and released 124 endangered northern leopard frogs. By providing the frogs with a head-start and raising them free of predators, they are given a better chance of survival in the wild with the hope of establishing a new population in the region.
Our three 10-year-old gray wolves were given a clean bill of health at their triennial exams.
All four rescued bald eagles received their annual health exams.
Huckleberry, the 4-year-old grizzly bear, received his annual checkup.
The veterinary and animal care teams went to great lengths, even climbing hillsides, to ensure mountain goat Nettle received her annual exam.
The challenging decision was made to remove elderly wolverine Ahma’s eyes. Despite completely losing her vision, Ahma is thriving.
Trumpeter Swan Lily enjoying her home in the Free-Roaming Area.
Northwest Trek provided homes to three orphaned moose calves.
We celebrated National Zookeeper Week with Keepers Amanda, Becky, Jordan, Hannah and Armando.
The tattoos of Northwest Trek staff were highlighted for National Tattoo Day.
Great Basin Spadefoot Toads and Northern Leopard Frogs joined the Cheney Discovery Center animal family.
Red fox Kamiah found that golden fall light.
Goslings, elk calves and other baby animals were born in our Free-Roaming Area.
Velvety elk antlers were all in a line in June and that velvet was shed in mid-August ahead of the “rut” or breeding season.
A shedding mountain goat makes her way through the Free-Roaming Area in June.
Thistle the porcupine seems excited to receive some enrichment items.
Grizzly bear Hawthorne makes his way out of his pool with a fishy treat.
Bald eagle Salish looking majestic in early morning spring light.
Lynx Nuka yawns on a snowy winter day.
Hayward the golden eagle stares intently.
Snowy owl Taiga in her winter coat.
A wild hooded merganser swims in the Free-Roaming Area.
Northwest Trek’s grounds are a bee-utiful place for pollinators.
Keepers provide daily enrichment opportunities to each animal, including Carly the cougar, Milton the skunk, and badgers Lavender and Poppy.
A caribou enjoys the cool water of Horseshoe Lake on a hot day in early September.
