Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Zoo and aquarium in Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, United States

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium covers 29 acres inside Point Defiance Park and is the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest. Its exhibits follow Pacific Rim ecosystems: the 5-acre Asian Forest Sanctuary, opened July 1, 2004, with Sumatran tigers and siamangs; Rocky Shores, completed in 1982 and modeled on Cape Flattery; the semicircular Arctic Tundra of 1981; and the Pacific Seas Aquarium, opened in September 2018, whose Baja Bay tank holds scalloped hammerheads, spotted eagle rays and green sea turtles.

The facility grew in the early twentieth century when the zoo was founded, followed by the later addition of an aquarium. The aquarium was originally built elsewhere but was eventually moved to the zoo grounds to bring both attractions together.

The Pacific Seas Aquarium displays marine life from different regions, including hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, and sea turtles, visible in large tanks throughout the facility. Visitors can watch how these animals behave in environments designed to mimic their natural habitats.

The grounds have paved paths that make it easy to reach all areas, even if walking is difficult for you. There are plenty of places to sit and rest in the shade under trees, especially helpful on warmer days.

The facility manages a special breeding program for an endangered canine species that has been running for decades. Some of these animals are eventually released into the wild to strengthen the species in natural areas.