Great Gifts For Friends And Zoo Doo For Enemies At Woodland Park Zoo

By Rebecca Whitham

Seattle, WA - Give the gift of a zoo experience this holiday season.

Woodland Park Zoo debuts new zoo gift card and other eco-friendly gift ideas -

Give a gift that will linger in your loved one's memories, not in a landfill. With Woodland Park Zoo gift cards, special ZooParent adoption deals, exotic Holidoo compost, and loads of eco-friendly items and conservation commerce at our ZooStore, you can buy responsibly and give a gift that helps support the zoo’s local and global conservation efforts.

NEW! Woodland Park Zoo Gift Card
A Woodland Park Zoo gift card makes a great holiday gift. Gift cards, sold in any amount up to $250, are redeemable for zoo memberships, ZooParent animal adoptions, zoo admission, on grounds at the ZooStore and more! Gift cards never expire and can be refilled and used over and over again. You can purchase gift cards at any zoo admission gate, at any ZooStore location or online by visiting http://www.zoo.org/support/gift-cards.

Gift memberships
Zoo memberships make great gifts that keep on giving all year long. This year, you can purchase the new Woodland Park Zoo gift card that can be redeemed for any membership level! Membership benefits include FREE unlimited visits to the zoo for one full year, half price admission for up to five guests per visit, invitations to various zoo programs and exhibit openings, free member decal, free admission to more than 100 reciprocal zoos and aquariums, a subscription to @thezoo magazine and more. Also, if you purchase a gift card in the amount of a membership before December 15, your recipient will receive a limited edition gold embossed flamingo holiday ornament when you mention this offer. To purchase a gift card in the amount of a membership level (for membership levels and prices, see www.zoo.org), visit http://www.zoo.org/support/gift-cards or purchase at any zoo admission gate or ZooStore location.

ZooParent: Winter Wonderland holiday adoption special
Celebrate the joys of winter with one of these winter-themed animal adoptions: arctic fox, brown bear, river otter, snow leopard, or Sumatran tiger. Just pick your animal and for $69, you’ll receive the holiday adoption package which includes: an adorable plush animal, ZooParent adoption certificate, beautiful color photo, animal fact sheet, ZooParent static cling, and Woodland Park Zoo folder. To purchase your holiday adoption package, visit www.zoo.org/support/animal-adoptions or call 206.548.2400. Order by December 13 to ensure delivery by December 24!

Unique ZooStore gifts
Shop for eco-friendly gifts at Woodland Park Zoo’s ZooStore. Try shade-grown coffees and chocolates—consumable gifts mean minimal waste. “Green” fashions available at the ZooStore include outerwear made from recycled cloth. And don’t miss the “conservation commerce” items including handmade goods from Ecuador, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and more. Conservation commerce helps indigenous people living in poverty increase their standard of living, and at the same time protect their local ecosystems and native wildlife. ZooStore hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Located in the South Plaza at N. 50th St. & Fremont Ave. N. For ZooStore information, call 206.548.1535.

Holidoo—Zoo Doo compost seasonal special
If you’re searching high and low for that ideal present for garden enthusiasts on your list—or that goofy gag gift—then Holidoo is just for you. Woodland Park Zoo’s coveted, exotic compost comes in 2- and 4-gallon buckets or pints for stocking stuffers. The exclusively packaged Holidoo product is available during the holiday season only at the ZooStore. Holidoo purchases help support the zoo’s animal care, education programs and conservation efforts all over the world. Hurry, supplies are limited. Prices: 2-gallon bucket $14.95; 4-gallon bucket $20; and pint sized stocking stuffer $4.95.

Make a Splash for Penguins
You can be a part of bringing Humboldt penguins back to Seattle in 2009! For a gift of $1,000 or more to the penguin effort, the zoo will permanently embed an ornamental anchovy etched with the donor’s name (or that of your family, friend or loved one) in the new penguin exhibit plaza. Anchovies are Humboldt penguins’ favorite food, and are part of the exhibit’s conservation story about diminishing food sources for penguins in the wild. This is a unique and lasting way to demonstrate your or your loved one’s support of this exhibit and the zoo, but hurry, the anchovies get set in concrete this January, so you must donate before December 25, 2008 to have your name in the school of fish! For more information or to contribute, visit www.zoo.org/penguins or contact Kyle Halmrast at kyle.halmrast@zoo.org. Payments can be spread out over several years.

Zoo admission: Adult (13-64) $11; Child (3-12) $8; Toddler (0-2) Free. Seniors and people with physical disabilities receive a discount and zoo members receive free zoo admission year-round.

Winter zoo hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

Parking: $4.50. Consider taking the bus, biking, walking or carpooling. Conserving resources is one more way to help animals. Call Metro at 206.553.3000 for bus service to the zoo.

Info: For more information on Woodland Park Zoo, call 206.548.2500 or visit the zoo’s website at www.zoo.org.

Photo caption: A Woodland Park Zoo tiger in snow.
Photo credit: Dennis Dow.