The passing of a pet or favorite zoo animal is difficult for any child, especially if it is their first contact with death. It’s hard to feel joyful following such a loss.
But joyful remembrance is exactly what Woodland Park Zoo is offering kids and families to do between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2. During that time, the zoo will use the Mexican tradition of Día de Muertos to honor and celebrate visitors’ cherished pets and zoo animals who have passed away.
Día de Muertos
Each fall, as November begins, families across Mexico — and increasingly here in Seattle — celebrate Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a tradition rooted in ancient Indigenous customs and blended with Catholic All Souls’ Day.
Rather than being Halloween scary, the celebration is joyful. It’s marked by candlelit ofrendas (altars) adorned with marigolds, photos of lost loved ones, favorite foods, and sugar skulls as families share memories, music, and more.
(Image: Woodland Park Zoo)
Zoo Ofrenda
The zoo’s ofrenda will pay tribute to pets and zoo animals who have passed away, not just recently but throughout the zoo’s history.
Visitors can submit photos, drawings, and other memorabilia of their pets to be honored.
“Last year was the first year we offered an animal ofrenda for Día de Muertos; however, we didn’t formally invite the community to submit photos or other memorabilia,” said zoo spokesperson Gigi Allianic. “This year, we’re making a concerted effort to engage our community in honoring their beloved pets and animals.
“We hope to instill empathy in kids toward animals — both pets and wildlife — and to demonstrate how we cherish animals and pets after they have passed as we did in the living world,” Allianic added.
Your Animals Honored
Zoo staff will be on hand to assist families by printing digital photos on Oct. 22 and 24 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and on Oct. 25 and 26 during the zoo’s Pumpkin Bash from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No photos? No problem. Coloring sheets and photo frame decorating supplies will be available.
Zoo officials hope the ofrenda, open between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2, will provide “meaningful space for reflection, remembrance, and gratitude for the animals who have shaped the history of [the zoo], inspired wildlife conservation efforts locally and globally, and sparked joy for the zoo and community.”
(Image: Woodland Park Zoo)
Zoo Animals Honored
As part of the event, zoo staff and volunteers will honor and remember zoo animals who touched their lives.
“I personally created numerous photos of many of our animals who passed, and I’ll continue to honor those same animals at this year’s ofrenda as well,” said Allianic.
Allianic’s list of beloved zoo animals includes baby elephant Hansa, orangutan Chinta, gorilla Vip, jaguar Nayla, hippo Lily, wolves Kaya and Shila, tapir Bintang, and many more.
“Of course, there will be many duplicates as we all honor them in our own special way, especially from the animal keepers,” she said. “I’m sure beloved animals we lost this year will be celebrated, such as snow leopard matriarch Helen, sloth bear Tasha, a variety of birds, and ambassador animals.”
Details
- What: Starting October 22, submit digital photos, drawings, or notes of cherished pets and animals by going to: zoo.org/pumpkinbash. Submissions accepted through October 31. Items contributed will not be returned.
- When: The ofrenda will be unveiled on Oct. 27 and open to zoo visitors during regular zoo hours through November 2. Starting October 25, with photos and offerings will be showcased on television monitors located at the ofrenda. The zoo is open with fall/winter hours: 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily. On October 25 and 26, watch as artist Carlos “They Drift” Aguilar paints a special mural for the ofrenda.
- Cost: Ages 13 and up, $19.95; ages 3 to 12, $12.95; seniors, $17.95; ages two and under are free. Prices too steep? Check the free Museum Pass offered by Seattle Public Library and King County Library System.
- Where: Head to the zoo’s Briar Oak across from the Historic Carousel.
