One of Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s resident river otters, Blakely, recently had a dentist appointment to fix a fractured tooth. Blakely traveled with Northwest Trek’s head veterinarian, Dr. Allison Case, to sister zoo Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s healthcare hospital for the exam. Typically, Blakely would be treated at Northwest Trek, but the dentist was already at Point Defiance Zoo treating a tiger for a similar dental issue. Dr. Alice Sievers, a board-certified veterinary dentist and one of only 250 veterinary dental specialists in the world, volunteered her time with veterinary assistant Sharon Ghormley and veterinary technician Taylor Parker, all …

As another year ends, we reflect on the special moments Northwest Trek Wildlife Park had the privilege of being a part of in 2023. We raised and released hundreds of endangered northern leopard frogs into the wild, provided a new home to a hoary marmot, and helped Tacoma students develop empathy for wildlife through our award-winning Wildlife Champions program. Enjoy some of our favorite photos from this year, taken by staff photographer Katie Cotterill. Brothers gotta hug! Grizzly bears Huckleberry and Hawthorne hug during a wrestling play session. Mountain goat Klahhane sticks out his tongue. An elk calf stays close …

A hoary marmot living in Mount Rainier National Park now calls Northwest Trek Wildlife Park home and will make his public debut on Friday, Nov. 10. The young marmot, estimated to be born in spring 2022, was fed human food and began aggressively begging for food from people in the national park. According to Mount Rainier National Park officials, the animal had become a danger to himself and people. “Food-conditioned animals will beg aggressively for food and may bite, causing serious injury and possible infection to people,” said Dr. Tara Chestnut, former wildlife ecologist for Mount Rainier National Park. “Feeding …

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is now home to two female yearling American bison. The bison will soon join the wildlife park’s 12 other bison in the 435-acre Free-Roaming Area. “We expect them to fit right in with the herd,” said Marc Heinzman, the wildlife park’s curator. “They are at an age where they are usually more curious but less confident than an adult might be.” Before they join the others, the duo – named Cloudy and Frosty by keepers – are acclimating to their Northwest home behind the scenes. They recently received wellness exams from the park’s two veterinarians, veterinary …

Black bears Fern and Benton are long-time residents of Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. And the veterinary teams at Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium have a long-standing history of joining forces. So, when it was time for the bears’ triennial wellness exams, Northwest Trek head veterinarian Dr. Allison Case invited Zoo intern veterinarian Dr. Cassidy Soehnlein to participate. The Exams Routine wellness exams are a critical component of animal well-being. With regular check-ups, the veterinary staff (veterinarian) can monitor the health of Fern and Benton. They can also act quickly if any concerns arise. Both black bears received …

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 …

Giving a health exam to the top feline predator in the Pacific Northwest takes a team of dedicated professionals – something our cougar Carly has here at Northwest Trek. Carly’s team has worked extensively with her for years to ensure exams run smoothly and safely. Carly’s predator status, size, and nature make getting to the exam room slightly different. Through training (and plenty of treats), Carly will now voluntarily take injections to initiate her sedation. She finds a comfortable resting place in her “bedroom” and lets the medicine take effect. Once it’s safe, the veterinary team led by Dr. Allison …

Even the mightiest birds under our care have routine health exams to ensure they remain in great shape. For the bald eagles, Sequoia, Sucia, Salish, and Cheveyo, this was preventative medicine in action. Having healthy birds allows Head Veterinarian Dr. Allison Case to focus on their continued wellness.  Keepers and the veterinary staff work seamlessly together to take each eagle to the veterinary clinic for exams. It’s a two-day process, and the team starts with Salish and Sucia. Sequoia and Cheveyo have their exams on the second day. Each bird traveled to the clinic fully awake, and after a careful, …

February is National Dental Month and gray wolf Canagan’s story of early intervention highlights the importance of maintaining those chompers.  Our Head Veterinarian, Dr. Allison Case, examined our three wolves for a routine checkup in November. Working with our sister zoo, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Dr. Case x-rayed our male wolf Canagan’s molar for a closer look. Canagan has a minor infection and is receiving antibiotics. His pearly whites and overall health for a 10-year-old wolf are stable. Dr. Case will follow up with a veterinary dentist on the next steps for Canagan.

Long before Rainier the wolverine was getting his teeth cleaned and blood drawn, he was training with his animal care team to ensure a successful exam day. Northwest Trek keeper Wendi has been working with Rainier for months to get him comfortable with voluntarily receiving medical injections. This critical training means Rainier doesn’t have to be darted for sedation, making it easier for the wolverine as well as his animal care and veterinary teams. And now that he’s comfortable, Rainier won’t have to be sedated for preventive care, such as vaccinations. At Northwest Trek’s veterinary hospital, the 13-year-old wolverine is …