Photo credit: Ryan Hawk at the Woodland Park Zoo

From our news partner, seattlepi.com:

Officials at the Woodland Park Zoo were investigating Tuesday how a lion managed to escape its den just minutes before the zoo closed.

The zoo’s emergency response team kept the female African lion contained in the feline house after it walked away from its sleeping den and wandered into a service hallway about 3:55 p.m., according to a news release.

“The lion was contained inside the building and at no time were visitors or the staff in any danger,” zoo officials said in the news release.

The 12-year-old lion was safely tranquilized and secured about 4:53 p.m. in the service area, according to the news release.

The zoo also has a 12-year-old male and 2-year-old female lions. The other lions were secured in their dens during the incident.

By Scott Gutierrez

©seattlepi.com for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: animals, zoo

There’s a lot going on this Halloween in the Green Lake neighborhood.

There will be a free Fall Pumpkin Swim at Evans Pool tomorrow evening (Friday, October 28, 2011), 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. The event features games, prizes and pumpkins in the pool.

The Green Lake Tacos Guaymas is hosting their annual Halloween Costume Party tomorrow night (October 28).

A Halloween Midnight Mystery Ride is planned for late tomorrow night (October 28). The costumed bike ride begins at 11:30 p.m. at the southwest corner of Green Lake, near the Aqua Theater.

On Saturday (October 29), 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., there will be a free all-ages harvest potluck on the deck of Evans Pool. Community members are invited to bring a dish to share with their neighbors and pool staff.

The First Annual Cider Fest at Freeway Estates Community Orchard is planned for Saturday (October 29), 2:00 p.m. – ­ 5:00 p.m.

Saturday night (October 29) brings a Halloween costume party to Little Red Hen (7115 Woodlawn Ave NE). Prizes will be awarded at midnight.

Meerkats, hippos, elephants, bears and more will do the annual smashing and chomping of pumpkins and scurrying through jack-o’lanterns at Woodland Park Zoo’s Pumpkin Bash on Saturday and Sunday (October 29 and 30).

Meerkats enjoy the zoo's Pumpkin Bash. Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

On Sunday (October 30), the annual Corgi Halloween Costume Parade Around Green Lake is planned for 11 a.m. Look for dozens of corgi dogs in costume.

The Green Lake Irwin’s Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe (301 NE 65th St) will be hosting a costume contest for children of all ages on Halloween (Monday, October 31), 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Contest winners will receive $10 and $25 gift certificates to Irwin’s.

Bethany Lutheran Church is hosting a “Trunk or Treat” in the church parking lot (7400 Woodlawn Ave NE) on Halloween evening, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Treats and hot cider will be available. For more information, call (206) 523-4454 or email secretary[at]bethanyluth.org.

Many homes around the neighborhood are welcoming trick-or-treaters (here’s our map). Of special note is the annual haunted house at 315 NE 60th St. The theme this year is Zombie Dodgeball, and the doors are open 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Also be sure to check out the decorations at the Tavis Residence, near the corner of Corliss Ave N and N 64th St:

Don’t forget that the North Helpline Food Bank is asking volunteers to collect food and personal care items while they trick-or-treat.

The annual Naked Pumpkin Run is scheduled for 9:21 p.m. on Halloween night.

On Tuesday, the day after Halloween (November 1), Greenlake Kids Dentistry is hosting their annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back program, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Dr. Troy Hull at the 2010 Halloween Candy Buy-Back event at Greenlake Kids Dentistry

Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston shares the following Halloween safety tips:

Know your trail: What route will you take? Don’t take short cuts through alleyways, back yards or parks.
Whose homes will you visit? Advise your parents of your plans.
Is there an adult going along? If not, tell parents with whom you’ll be. Stay together w/your group and have a plan should someone get lost.
Only trick or treat at homes with front porch lights on.
NEVER enter the house or car of a stranger.
When will you be home? Carry a cell.phone & call if you will be late .
Carry a flashlight or light sticks. It makes it easier to see and shows you where you are going. Reflective tape/material is a good idea to add to your costume.
Make up is safer than a mask, which can make seeing difficult.
Drivers have a hard time seeing you at night, so cross the road carefully and stay on main streets/sidewalks. Use crosswalks, and wait for a walk signal. Never cross from between parked cars.
Be careful of open flames from pumpkins and candles, as they can catch your costume and long wigs on fire.
Are your shoes safe and comfortable for walking?
Have your parents check out your candy when you get home before you eat any.

For the Ghosts who stay at home
Greet treaters at the door.
Remove obstacles from sidewalk, porch and steps.
Keep a light on, so treaters can see where they are walking.
Use your peep hole and look outside before opening the door.
Don’t leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween.
Be mindful of pets around lit pumpkins.
Chocolate is poisonous to animals, as is tin foil or candy wrappers.

Remember you can call 9-1-1 to report suspicious or criminal activity, 24 hours a day.

And, a reminder that extra law enforcement will be out this weekend and on Halloween looking for impaired drivers. Patrols will begin Friday evening. According to Public Health – Seattle & King County, nearly half of all national highway fatalities on Halloween night in 2009 involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

Thanks for the tips, Kristen, Martin, Carl and Tracy. Have a great weekend and a wonderful Halloween, everyone!

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: building community, cycling, dogs, halloween, kids, local businesses, party, safety, swimming, zoo

Green Lake Small Craft Center

The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners, a seven-member citizen board, will hold its next public meeting on Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 7 p.m. at the Activity Resource Center at the Woodland Park Zoo (5500 Phinney Ave N).

The meeting agenda includes an update on Woodland Park Zoo activities from  Zoo Executive Director Deborah Jensen. The Woodland Park Zoo Society operates the zoo under a management agreement with the City of Seattle.

There will also a briefing on Seattle Parks emergency preparedness. Parks staff will brief the Board on how Parks and Recreation is prepared to deal with natural or man-made disasters, and how Parks staff fit into the City’s overall emergency preparedness program.

A briefing on “City Council direction on Parks small craft centers” is also on the agenda. Parks staff will “brief the Board on progress responding to a City Council statement of legislative intent directing Parks to examine the operations of the small craft centers, Green Lake Small Craft Center (5900 W Green Lake Way N) and Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center, with an eye to making them financially independent.”

The Park Board meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month to advise the Parks and Recreation Superintendent, the Mayor, and the City Council on parks and recreation matters.

For more information, please call Sandy Brooks at 206-684-5066 or email her at sandy.brooks [at] seattle.gov.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: boating, emergency preparedness, parks and rec, zoo

Merritt says that volunteers are needed for a work party at the Seattle Sensory Garden at the Woodland Park Rose Garden (750 N 50th St).

Sensory gardens make use of all the senses. Plants and landscape elements are chosen for the garden based on not just their visual qualities, but also their smell, texture, sound and taste.

In June, a crew of volunteers cleared the site of the Seattle Sensory Garden, marked the layout of the paths and beds, spread Zoo Doo and readied the site for planting, according to a Facebook page for the garden. Pavers were then installed and planting has begun.

The garden includes elements that can be used in therapeutic sessions treating Alzheimer’s disease, autism, blindness, and hearing impairments.

You can read more about the Seattle Sensory Garden here.

The next work party at the garden is Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 9 a.m. There is no need to RSVP; volunteers will sign in when they arrive at the garden.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: gardening, volunteer, woodland park, zoo

Woodland Park Zoo's 17-year-old grizzly bear brothers Keema and Denali. Photo Credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo.

Woodland Park Zoo has re-launched their popular Bear Cam. Live feed can be accessed at www.zoo.org/bearcam.

The Bear Cam features 24/7 live online video of two grizzly bear brothers at the zoo. Viewers can also choose to join in on a social stream and chat room with other Bear Cam fans while tuning in at http://www.ustream.tv/woodlandparkzoo.

To celebrate the re-launch, Woodland Park Zoo keepers will present the bears with piñatas filled with a special enrichment treat: coffee grounds donated by Caffé Vita. Tune into the feed on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 11:15 a.m. to watch the bears dig into the piñatas in search of the stimulating coffee treat. The treat is part of the zoo’s ongoing enrichment program to stimulate the senses and encourage instinctual behaviors in the zoo’s animals.

A press release from Woodland Park Zoo has more information about the Bear Cam:

On a typical day, Woodland Park Zoo’s 17-year-old grizzly bear brothers Keema and Denali can be seen foraging for food, fishing for live trout, and exploring the stimulating sights and smells in the zoo’s award-winning Northern Trail exhibit. Approximately 675 pounds each in their trim summer months, the brothers can weigh up to 950 pounds each when they put on weight for their more dormant winter months.

Want to know the best times to tune in to the Bear Cam? The bears are especially active in the morning around 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and in the afternoon around 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., particularly during the summer months.

“The return of the Bear Cam opens a window on the wonders of wildlife,” said zoo curator Dr. Jennifer Pramuk in the press release. “We hope that it will not only attract local viewers who want to keep up with Keema and Denali in between zoo visits, but also viewers across the globe, many of whom may not otherwise have the opportunity to connect with such powerful wildlife ambassadors.”

Grizzly bears are an endangered species in the lower 48 contiguous United States. Woodland Park Zoo says that they partner with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project (GBOP) to “protect bears and teach local communities how to live in harmony with these magnificent animals.”

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: animals, zoo

photo credit: shannonkringen

Roxanne Murphy, Community Relations and Outreach Liaison for the Woodland Park Zoo, asked us to pass along the following invitation to residents of the Green Lake neighborhood:

You Are Cordially Invited To:

Woodland Park Zoo’s
2011 Neighborhood Appreciation Event
August 4 from 6 to 8 p.m.

This will be an opportunity for you to meet fellow zoo neighbors, enjoy light refreshments and have special experiences in some of our special exhibits. Children are welcome to attend.

The event will start at the zoo’s West Entrance, located at North 55th Street and Phinney Avenue North. Parking will be free in the surrounding zoo lots for this gathering. Casual attire is encouraged.

Please RSVP by e-mailing roxanne.murphy [at] zoo.org. For more information, contact Roxanne Murphy, Community Relations and Outreach Liaison at (206) 548-2462.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: zoo

Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo‘s Spring Fecal Fest begins soon.

Every year, the zoo makes exotic poop, called “Zoo Doo” and “Bedspread,” available as compost to gardeners.

Zoo Doo is the most exotic and highly prized compost in the Pacific Northwest, perfect for vegetables and annuals, composed of exotic species feces contributed by the zoo’s non-primate herbivores. Bedspread, the zoo’s premium composted mulch, is like Zoo Doo but with higher amounts of wood chips and sawdust. It’s the perfect mulch for perennial beds and woody landscapes such as native gardens, rose beds, shrubs, tree rings or pathways.

For a chance to purchase Zoo Doo or Bedspread, send in a standard postcard from March 1 through March 18, 2011. You can enter both the Zoo Doo and Bedspread drawings, but separate postcards are required.

Postcards should be mailed to: Dr. Doo, Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59^th St., Seattle, WA 98103. Include the  following information:

• Name
• Day and evening phone numbers
• Preference: Zoo Doo or Bedspread (a.k.a. “B.S.”)
• Amount of Zoo Doo or Bedspread you’d like to purchase (anything from a garbage bag to a full-size, pick-up truck load)
• Weekday or weekend preference for pick-up

Only one postcard per person is eligible for each drawing. Phone orders will not be taken.

Entry cards will be selected randomly for as many entrants possible. Dr. Doo, also known as the “Prince of Poo,” the “GM of BM” or the “Grand Poopah,” will contact the lucky drawn entries only.

Pick-up dates for Zoo Doo or Bedspread begin April 8 through April 24, 2011. The lucky winners load the compost, using shovels provided by the zoo.

The cost for both Zoo Doo and Bedspread: Pick-up truck 8×4 bed: $60; 6×4 bed: $45; 6×3 bed: $35. Limit one full truck per person. Garbage cans: $8 to $10 depending on size; bags: $4 to $6 depending on size. Two-gallon and pint-sized buckets are available anytime at the ZooStore for $14.95 and $4.95, respectively.

Call (206) 625-POOP or go to zoo.org for more information.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: gardening, zoo

Woodland Park Rose Garden. Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

There will be a free rose pruning demonstration at the Woodland Park Rose Garden on Saturday, March 5, 2011, 12 – 3 p.m. The rose garden is located adjacent to the Woodland Park Zoo at N 50th St & Fremont Ave N.

The demonstration, which is hosted by the Seattle Rose Society, will include many annual rose pruning practices such as where to cut, how much to cut, how to use your tools properly for correct cuts, the types of roses and respective pruning techniques. Learn about roses and how to care for them, get answers to your questions by rosarians, and hear a discussion about Woodland Park Zoo’s Natural Care Management Program used in the Rose Garden.

The event will take place rain or shine. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, call the zoo’s senior rose gardener at (206) 548-2635.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: bargain alert, gardening, woodland park, zoo

Woodland Park Zoo and The Wilderness Society are presenting a free talk on mountain gorillas on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011 at 6 p.m.

Dr. Amy Vedder, a well-recognized global expert in conservation, who is now Senior Vice President of The Wilderness Society, will be presenting. Dr. Vedder will describe her groundbreaking work with mountain gorillas and the lessons she learned – both professional and personal – from this experience.

Building on this background, Dr. Vedder will discuss how these lessons pertain to saving wildlife and wild lands in the U.S., and how we, too, can rise to the growing challenges confronting conservation in our own American backyard. Dr. Vedder’s work is featured in the newly released and updated book In the Kingdom of Gorillas: The Quest to Save Rwanda’s Mountain Gorillas, co-authored with her husband, Bill Weber. The book will be for sale and signing by the authors following the talk.

“In the Kingdom of Gorillas” introduces readers to entire families of mountain gorillas, from powerful silverback patriarchs to helpless newborn infants. Weber and Vedder take you through the rain-soaked mountain forests, observing the gorillas at rest and at play. Today, the population of mountain gorillas is the highest it has been since the 1960s, and there is new hope for the species’ fragile future even as the people of Rwanda strive to overcome ethnic and political differences.

The event will be in the PACCAR Auditorium at Woodland Park Zoo, located at the South Entrance at N 50th St & Fremont Ave N. Parking is free after 4 p.m.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: animals, bargain alert, literary, zoo

Here’s a second batch of photos, featuring neighborhood animals.

We’ll keep adding to this post, so send your pics of wintery Green Lake animals to tips [at] mygreenlake.com.

"DioGhee" | Photo courtesy Michael Closson

Dressed for the weather at Green Lake Park | Photo courtesy Joe Larama

"Olive" | Photo courtesy Lisa Schaefbauer

Photo courtesy Green Roots Photography

"Shasta" | Photo courtesy Brooke Stover

"Biggie" | Photo courtesy Ellen Tabieros

Photo courtesy Green Roots Photography

Photo Courtesy Green Roots Photography

Bald eagle flying over Green Lake | Photo courtesy Keith Logan

And, here are some shots from Woodland Park Zoo, snapped by zoo photographer Ryan Hawk.  A representative from the zoo said the following: “The animals are doing just fine in the snow. They have indoor access and heated areas, though many choose to go out and explore the snow anyway. It can be quite enriching.”

From the Seattle Animal Shelter, here are some tips about protecting your pets from the cold.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2010.

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Post tags: animals, dogs, photography, weather, zoo