Birch, a beloved moose at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, died yesterday after a sudden and severe decline in his health. Dr. Allison Case, the wildlife park’s veterinarian, said the 8-month-old moose was showing signs of lethargy and severe gastro-intestinal disease Monday. His veterinary and animal care teams intervened immediately with medical treatment. When his condition didn’t improve yesterday, Birch was moved to the on-site animal hospital for more intensive care and diagnostic testing. Birch died under anesthesia as his intensive medical treatments were concluding, said Dr. Case. “Birch was adored by everyone who knew him and we are devastated to …

This Black History Month, we sat down with Sunni, a zookeeper at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park who helps make the park the incredibly special place it is. We asked her about her experiences in zookeeping and what working with animals and wildlife means to her. Q: What is your favorite part of the job? A: I love working with and creating a relationship with the animals. I also enjoy creating fun and special moments with children on the Keeper Adventure Tours I lead. It’s wonderful watching them discover something new and cool and seeing their reaction to the animals. Q: …

The word “enrichment” is said dozens of times a day around Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. As in, “we have the enrichment ready for the otters” or “Aspen the moose really seemed to enjoy her enrichment today” or “we need to create the beavers’ enrichment this afternoon.” Providing enriching experiences is a vital part of providing high-quality animal care at Northwest Trek- but what exactly is enrichment? “Enrichment items are things like food, smells or toys that enhance the health and well-being of the animals in our care,” said Haley, animal keeper and coordinator of the Behavioral Husbandry Committee at Northwest …

Sequoia, a 4-year-old bald eagle at Northwest Trek, is nearing full maturity, gradually getting that signature smooth white head, dark black coat and white tail feathers. Bald eagles reach adulthood at 5 years old. Until then, their feathers go through a series of changes. Most notable: their dark brown belly and wings have specks of white and their “white bald head” is brown, unlike the iconic images of a fully-grown eagle. Sequoia’s head is a cookies-and-cream color now – a mix of brown and white feathers. Her eyes and beak are also changing, from brown to golden. Take a look …

The world’s best athletes are going for gold in the Olympic Games this month. But you don’t need to go to Beijing to see animals with incredible physical traits and abilities… you just need to visit Northwest Trek! SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING Short track speed skaters can reach an average speed of 31 mph- that’s about as fast as a bobcat can run! SKI JUMPING Ski jumpers can travel over 300 feet in the air. For comparison, cougars can leap up to 40 feet horizontally (and that’s without flying off a jump!). FIGURE SKATING Wolverines have snowshoe-like paws that allow …

“If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it. When he’s eaten all your muffins, he’ll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix…” You know the famous children’s book by Laura Numeroff. But… what if you give a moose a carrot? “If you give Birch a carrot, he listens really well!” explains keeper Jordan. “And chances are if you give him a carrot, he’ll want some lettuce to go with …

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s Zoological Curator Marc Heinzman has been accepted into the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders program. This national two-year program brings together twenty emerging leaders in the wildlife conversation field for intense training in developing well-rounded and successful conservation campaigns. “I’m extremely passionate about the conservation of wildlife, and this program will give me the skills and knowledge to be as effective as possible in working toward that goal,” said Heinzman. Acceptance into the program provides the opportunity to connect with other emerging conservationists from across the country and other parts of the world. Participants will work in …