Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium sits inside Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, where it has grown from a small city menagerie founded in 1905 into a full-scale AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium. Operated by Metro Parks Tacoma, it is recognized as the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest, drawing visitors from across the region to see its mix of land and marine animal exhibits on a single 29-acre campus.
The facility traces a long conservation legacy, most notably as an early leader in captive breeding of the critically endangered red wolf starting in the 1970s. Today the zoo pairs that conservation work with modern exhibits like the Pacific Seas Aquarium, the Arctic Tundra habitat, and the Asian Forest Sanctuary, giving guests a walk through ecosystems ranging from Puget Sound tide pools to the forests of Southeast Asia.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Tacoma, Washington
- Opened: 1905 (zoo); aquarium added 1935, relocated on-site 1963
- Size: About 29 acres
- Species: More than 360 animal species
- Annual Visitors: Over 600,000
- Famous For: Only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest; pioneering red wolf breeding program
A Legacy of Conservation
Point Defiance’s most significant contribution to wildlife conservation began in the early 1970s, when the zoo partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish a captive-breeding program for red wolves, one of the most endangered canids in the world. The first captive litters arrived in 1977, and by 1984 the effort had grown into the AZA’s official Red Wolf Species Survival Plan. That work helped support reintroduction efforts at North Carolina’s Alligator River refuge starting in 1987, and the zoo remains part of the AZA’s Saving Animals from Extinction American Red Wolf program today.
Exhibits and the Pacific Seas Aquarium
The zoo’s grounds include the Arctic Tundra habitat, Rocky Shores for marine mammals, Red Wolf Woods, and the Asian Forest Sanctuary, which opened in 2004. The biggest recent addition is the Pacific Seas Aquarium, a 35,000-square-foot, three-story building that opened in September 2018 as the largest capital project in the zoo’s history. It centers on a 280,000-gallon Baja Bay tank home to scalloped hammerhead sharks, spotted eagle rays, and green sea turtles, alongside a Puget Sound tank, a kelp forest exhibit, and a giant Pacific octopus display.
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Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium FAQs
Where is Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium located?
It is located inside Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, and is operated by Metro Parks Tacoma.
When did Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium open?
The zoo was established in 1905. Its aquarium began in 1935 and was relocated onto the zoo grounds in 1963.
What makes Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium unique?
It is the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest and has run a nationally significant red wolf conservation breeding program since the 1970s.
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Photo: Farwestern Photo by Gregg M. Erickson / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.