Officials expand testing at Point Defiance Zoo following puffin deaths
Incident Date:
09/15/2026
Location:
Tacoma, WA - USA
Facility Name:
Point Defiance Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Other
Animal:
Puffins
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
TACOMA, WA – esting confirmed that a rare strain of avian Chlamydia abortus likely caused the deaths of three tufted puffins at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) in July 2026, health and zoo officials announced Tuesday.
PDZA said no additional infected birds have been identified, and they plan to conduct precautionary environmental testing in Point Defiance Park. While the strain can infect humans, no human cases associated with the incident have been identified.
The exact source of the bacterial infection remains unknown, though officials noted exposure from a wild bird is a possible cause. The park and zoo remain open.
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