Canada Lynx Kitten, Burrowing Owls, & Barn Owl Join Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater at Pt Defiance Zoo
TACOMA, Wash. – A 9-week-old Canada lynx kitten is set to make his television debut Thursday morning on KING 5’s “New Day Northwest” and his first official public appearance at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium on Friday.
Jasper, named for the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, is one of four new animals at the zoo’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater, which presents twice daily live-animal shows during the summer.
Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater staff members also feature animals in close encounters around the zoo and in the community as part of year-round educational programming.
Jasper is part of the Species Survival Plan® for Canada lynx, which are listed as endangered in Washington state. He now weighs about 4 pounds and is being hand-reared by zoo staff.
Jasper will make periodic appearances at the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater and around the zoo this summer as he grows into his role as an ambassador for his species. There is no set schedule for these.
Two burrowing owls, Pebbles and Cricket, and a barn owl named Apollo also are adjusting to their new homes. They’re making periodic brief appearances on the walkway above the theater.
Pebbles and Cricket, both females, weigh around 5 ounces each. They are about 2 months old.
Barn owl Apollo weighs just under a pound. He is 3 months old.
It’s a busy summer at Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater, where “Indiana Bones and the Golden Treasure” is presented at noon and 3:30 p.m. daily.
The fast-paced, engaging and often humorous live-animal show stars Herald the dog as Indiana Bones, Barkeologist. It features a wide-ranging cast of more than a dozen animals.
The action is set to catchy music and culminates with Indiana Bones piloting his own airplane as he flies in to save the day. Along the way, visitors learn about geocaching and why it’s a great, fun way to explore the outdoors. Following each show, visitors can go on a mini geocaching adventure around the zoo with Herald.