National Zookeeper Week takes place July 18-24 this year. The week is devoted to sharing the passion and dedication of keepers. Our zookeepers are a dedicated group of people who work tirelessly each day to provide the animals with the best care possible. Rain or shine, keepers must be ready for anything 365 days a year. They are involved in the lives of the animals they care for often from birth to death and every moment in between, creating lifelong bonds. Whether it’s rearranging an animal’s “furniture” in their habitat to keep them new, fresh, and exciting, helping with medical …

It’s a chilly spring evening and the sun is sinking as nighttime begins. It’s darker here in rural Eatonville, away from city lights and cocooned in a blanket of clouds that hide the moon’s light. The illumination now comes only in beams from headlamps worn by a dozen or so scientists, students, researchers, and volunteers waiting for tiny bats to emerge from their slumber. They are at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, home to more than 350 bats and one of the largest colonies in South Puget Sound. The goal tonight is to capture 50 bats to further their work toward …

Nearly 800 observers took part in this year’s City Nature Challenge spanning King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Snohomish and any place in between. From April 28 through May 1, community scientists submitted 10,057 nature observations and identified 1,437 species, showing the world the incredible biodiversity in the region’s home turf. That’s the region’s all-time record! “This year we had more observers participate, more observations made and more species identified in the Seattle-Tacoma area than we have since our region joined the City Nature Challenge in 2017,” said Zach Hawn, conservation engagement coordinator at Point Defiance …

More than 100 employees of REI assembled recently at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park to put their passion for the outdoors to work. Spreading mulch, pulling invasive weeds, installing new fencing or re-potting tree saplings, these volunteers cheerfully provided valuable support    “It was great to welcome this dedicated group of REI employees, who arrived ready to work and accomplished everything we asked of them with – and more,” said Jackie Beatty, a naturalist who coordinates Northwest Trek’s volunteer program. “We appreciate the energy they brought to improve habitats for our animals and help us with important projects throughout the wildlife …

Did you know skunks are seen often in Washington state? If you haven’t spotted one yet, you’ll soon be able to see one at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park! Coming to us from Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Sundew is a male striped skunk. He’s a year old and adjusting well to his new home. Already showing us his playful personality, Sundew loves strawberries and carrots. But he’s been known to leave his veggies for last. After a short-term quarantine, our veterinary staff brought Sundew into the health clinic for his wellness exam. During his exam, Sundew had routine blood work done to …

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 …

“All right – who’s ready to go into the park and do some science?” “YEAH!!!!” The yell was impressive – but so was the quiet focus that followed as Ms. Hastler’s first grade class lined up to put on their yellow waterproof “science jackets.” It was the very first in-the-park science week for Wildlife Champions at Lister Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington, and the 16 first-graders were bubbling with excitement. Zoo volunteer Brittany (left) and educators Sam Hain and Liz Hines help Lister students put on their “science jackets” for the outdoor lesson. “What kind of animals do you think we’ll see …

Down a peaceful side trail at Northwest Trek, just past the zipline, a tiny door is just visible in the grass. No, you’re not imagining things. It’s a fairy house, and there are at least a dozen more dotted along the same trail – just keep your eyes open. “I was inspired by a ‘gnome trail’ I hiked with my family,” says Rick Dietz, Northwest Trek’s Deputy Director. “I thought it would be a fun way to add some excitement to our trails and encourage people to explore them more.” Fairy Fun And the Trek Fairy Trail does make for …

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: …

They were literally jumping up and down as soon as they got off the buses. “Animals! We’re going to see animals!” It was the first-ever field trip for Beyond the Bell, a groundbreaking new partner program offering after-school activities and childcare to Tacoma students. But Friday October 8 was a no-school data day – and so Beyond the Bell was bringing any K-5 child who signed up on a field trip to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, all day long. And every single one of the 155 students was incredibly excited. Beyond the Bell is a comprehensive program for Tacoma elementary …