Woodland Park Zoo

Our mission: Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act.

For more than 110 years, Woodland Park Zoo has been a cherished community resource and a unique urban oasis. Generations of Puget Sound families have come to the zoo to marvel at the animals and be inspired by the peaceful and beautiful surroundings.

For more than 110 years, Woodland Park Zoo has served as an urban oasis, gathering generations of people together to enjoy the natural world. In the late 1880s, Guy Phinney, a wealthy sawmill owner, purchased a large tract of forest land about six miles north of downtown Seattle. On December 28, 1899, several years after Phinney's death, the City of Seattle purchased the estate for $100,000.

The zoo spans 92 acres, 65 of which are developed as exhibits and public spaces. The remainder is devoted to administrative offices, a buffer zone and a neighborhood park.

Animal care professionals at Woodland Park Zoo are experts in their field and provide the highest quality care for animals every day. The zoo manages the largest live animal collection in Washington state, with 1,000 animals, representing more than 300 species plus 68 species of invertebrates. The zoo provides a home for 35 endangered and five threatened animal species. The zoo's botanical collection includes more than 92,000 plants and trees representing more than 1,000 species.

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