News Archive 2005
Jan | Feb | Mar |
Apr | May
| Jun
Jul | Aug |
Sep | Oct | Dec
- National Zoo's Three Young Tigers Prepare to Go West
The three young Sumatran tigers born at the Zoo in May 2004 will be going to their new home at Landry’s Downtown Aquarium in Denver, Colorado, as part of the Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan. - National Zoo's Tai Shan
Meets Public
at the Zoo's Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat
Tai Shan, the Zoo's giant panda cub, greeted the general public today for the first time, as the Zoo opened the cub’s exhibit for limited public viewing. - National Zoo to Examine Lion
The National Zoo’s 17-year-old male African lion has developed a small mass on his lower lip that the Zoo’s veterinarians plan to remove December 5.
- National Zoo's Giant Panda Cub Is "Peaceful Mountain"
The 100-day-old cub's name Tai Shan was announced on October 17. It won 44 percent of the 202,045 total votes cast in a naming vote. - National Zoo Euthanizes Giraffe
After several weeks of treatment for complications associated with skin cancer, the condition of a National Zoo giraffe worsened, and due to the poor prognosis, Zoo veterinarians and animal-care staff decided to euthanize it.
- Smithsonian Names John Berry as New
Director for the National Zoological Park
John Berry, currently Executive Director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, has been named Director of the National Zoological Park, effective Oct. 1. Berry will oversee both the 163-acre facility in Rock Creek Park and the 3,200-acre Conservation Research Center in Front Royal, Va. - Giant Panda Cub Update (July 26)
Yesterday, the National Zoo’s female giant panda, Mei Xiang, ate for the first time since before giving birth to a cub on July 9. She left her cub in the den to drink and ate some bamboo for approximately three minutes before returning to her cub. - Giant Panda Update (July 10)
National Zoo giant panda Mei Xiang and her cub—born Sat., July 9, at 3:41 a.m.—continue to bond and seem to be doing well. - National Zoo's Giant Panda Gives Birth to a Cub (July 9)
At 3:41 a.m. today, the National Zoo's giant panda, Mei Xiang, gave birth to a cub. -
Sunset
Serenades Concert Scheduled for Tonight (July 7)
Postponed to August 11
The Sunset Serenades concert scheduled to take place at the Zoo tonight, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., has been postponed due to possible heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast for the area and the flash flood watch issued by the National Weather Service. - Giant
Panda Update
National Zoo veterinarians are conducting weekly ultrasounds on the Zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang to monitor any development in her uterus and perhaps detect a fetus if she is indeed pregnant. So far, the ultrasounds have not shown clear evidence of a fetus.
- National Zoo Scientists Lend Expertise to Puerto Rican Biologists
Scientists from the Zoo's Conservation and Research Center will teach Puerto Rican biologists how to use satellite images and Geographic Information Systems to protect and monitor the habitats of endangered or threatened species on the island. - Zoo Scientists Use Quill DNA to Determine Porcupine Sex
Perhaps a first for science, scientists at the National Zoo tested DNA from porcupine quills to establish the gender of the baby prehensile-tailed porcupine born on April 11. - It's Three Girls and Two Boys!
On May 12, National Zoo veterinarians and animal-care staff got their first look at the newest litter of cheetahs—three females and two males. Each of the new cubs weighs just over three pounds.
- National Zoo Cheetah Cub Update
Two first-time cheetah mothers at the National Zoo are doing well caring for their litters of cubs—one mother is nursing newborns, the other is teaching adolescents. - Golden Lion Tamarin Dies at National Zoo
A 5-year-old female golden lion tamarin died at the National Zoo on April 20, after months of extensive diagnostics to determine the cause of chronic liver and gall bladder disease.
- 2005 Giant Panda Mating Season Begins at the National Zoo's Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat
The spring season for giant panda mating has come early to the National Zoo. Female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian attempted to mate on March 10. Timing is critical and often unpredictable for this delicate processgiant pandas have one breeding season per year with only a day or two of actual mating.
- National Zoo's Four Cheetah Cubs to Make Public Debut
The National Zoo's four cheetah cubs go on public exhibit beginning Saturday, Feb. 5, weather permitting. This is the first litter of cheetah cubs born at the National Zoo during its 115-year history. - Valentine's Day at the Zoo
Humans aren't the only species trying to entice prospective mates on Valentine's Day. The creatures of the National Zoo succumb to amorous instincts on this romantic day as well as throughout the year.
-
NAS: National Zoo Has Many Strengths;
Animals Received Appropriate Care
A National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report released today concluded that for the majority of the animal death cases it reviewed, the animals involved received appropriate care throughout their lifetimes at the National Zoo.
