Woodland Park Zoo Announces New Wild Encounters Opening Later This Year

Key takeaways

• Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo is transforming its Family Farm into Wild Encounters, a new area focused on up-close animal experiences for kids and families.
• Phase one opens spring 2026 and introduces Lorikeet Landing. A second phase, scheduled to open in 2027, will add viewable habitats for the zoo’s ambassador animals and more keeper-led learning.

• Two Aldabra giant tortoises are joining the zoo for the first time. The popular goat and sheep contact area is staying, with upgraded spaces that allow animals more choice and comfort.

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Picture your family enjoying a day at Woodland Park Zoo, when a rainbow flurry of wings lands on your child’s outstretched hand. A lorikeet tilts its head, dips its tongue into a cup of nectar they are holding, and your kid’s eyes pop as a grin spreads from ear to ear.

This kind of up-close animal moment is exactly what Woodland Park Zoo is building toward with Wild Encounters, a major reimagining of the zoo’s longtime Family Farm space.

Wild Encounters at a glace

Here are the facts you need about this exciting new zoo experience:

• Location: Replacing and reimaging the current Family Farm area
• Phase one opens: Spring 2026
• First big feature: Lorikeet Landing (opens in the spring, paid experience)
• New species: Aldabra giant tortoises
• Farm animals: Goat and sheep contact area is staying, but being upgraded
• Focus of Wild Encounters: Hands-on animal care, empathy and learning through interaction

How Wild Encounters will be different from the Family Farm

I know my kids always loved the Family Farm, it was so fun to peek in and see the pigs, and we never got tired of hanging out with the goats. But Wild Encounters will take the experience beyond just petting the animals. It’s intended to give visitors of all ages hands-on and up-close experiences with animals and animal care activities. “With a focus on refreshing the aging space with all new experiences and designing special programming,” says Dr. Luis Neves, Senior Director of Animal Care, “Wild Encounters will help children and families forge social and emotional connections with animals — important stepping stones to fostering empathy for all living things.”

Say hello to two giant tortoises

Mary (23 years old) and Elise (15 years old) are Aldabra giant tortoises, one of the world’s largest land tortoises, and a first-time species at the zoo. They were recently rescued thanks to longtime friends of Woodland Park Zoo, Madeline and Geoff Haydon. “We were happy to facilitate this rescue and give them the opportunity to become ambassador animals for Woodland Park Zoo,” says Madeline, “where they can encourage curiosity, compassion and respect for wildlife for all who may never get a chance to visit them in their native habitat of Aldabra Island in the Seychelles.”

These gentle giants will have access to an indoor enclosure to warm up or cool down and an outdoor yard for basking in the sun and getting some exercise, tortoise style (slowly walking around). Mary and Elise will be viewable early this year once construction of their home is completed.

Lorikeet Landing

Coming in the spring, this new immersive experience will be home to brilliantly colored lorikeets and lories, medium-sized arboreal parrots native to the Indo-Pacific region. While most parrots eat seeds and nuts, these birds have a brush-like tongue which allows them to eat pollen and nectar. Visitors will have the opportunity to offer a small cup of nectar to these beautiful birds for an unforgettable up-close encounter. Other birds who can peacefully live with lorikeets, such as ground-dwelling pigeons and kookaburras, will be fluttering around the exhibit as well. Note that this will be a paid experience.

Still here, just better: The Family Farm contact area

Don’t worry, the goats aren’t going anywhere! They will be making a short move over to the former cow and donkey area, which will undergo major improvements. The animals will have more flexible indoor and outdoor spaces, and will now have the choice and control to leave the contact area if they need a break. This is good news for the animals and visitors, because no one wants to make the mistake of trying to pet a grumpy goat!

In the future, other animals may join the goats, such as alpaca and non-domestic animals.

Further exhibit expansion planned for 2027

Wild Encounters will also bring the zoo’s ambassador animals center stage with flexible, viewable habitats to support a rotating cast of animals. Keepers will have space to introduce visitors to individual animals and share information about their diet, care and behavior.

Wild Encounters promises something more than a cute photo op. It’s a chance for kids to slow down with a tortoise, laugh with a lorikeet and start seeing animals not just as something to look at, but living beings to care about.