The 2024 Summer Olympics are starting this week, and our animals are joining in to show off their unique skills and talents. See who we think would win gold in the Zoolympics! These siblings duel and play together. Hawthorne and Huckleberry love to show off their powerful boxing and wrestling moves. Bald eagles have incredible grip strength to help them catch and hold their prey or get to higher branches. Our bald eagles are flightless due to injuries but use their claws to reach new heights! True fencing experts, the elk bulls use their antlers during rut (breeding) season to …

The full moon in November is traditionally known as the “Beaver” Moon. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the moon is derived from beavers, who are particularly active this time of the year building their winter dams in preparation for the cold season. Beavers are nocturnal, so they keep working under the light of the Full Moon. “Beavers are engineers, second only to humans in their ability to alter their environment,” said keeper Miranda, who cares for the beaver at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. “They work together to construct elaborate dams and lodges to create ponds or wetlands.” Beavers are …

To an outsider, it didn’t look unusual. As two keepers stood still inside the Forest & Wetlands habitat at Northwest Trek, they watched an old beaver slowly make his way into the pool. Sniffing everywhere, he walked slowly but steadily. Then he swam with front paws and whiskers outstretched to feel for the underwater entrance to his lodge before slipping inside. “There you go!” called one keeper encouragingly. R.B. Beaver, affectionately known as “Papa” for his role in the Northwest Trek beaver family, had just successfully shown that he could live a comfortable, capable life – without his eyesight. Eye …