Photo Releases

Endangered gazelle undergoes surgery at National Zoo—
Dec. 19, 2008

Sayda, an endangered Dama gazelle, is recovering well from surgery yesterday at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.  Zoo veterinarians worked with equine surgeon Dr. Jennifer Brown from Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center to successfully repair internal soft tissue damage sustained while giving birth.  Unfortunately, the calf did not survive.  The three-hour procedure involved reconstructive surgery to both the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts.  This surgery should return Sayda to optimal health, enhancing her quality of life and hopefully allowing her to breed again, increasing the population of this endangered species. 

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen /Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Dec. 18, 2008

• High-res image

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Dec. 18, 2008

• High-res image

National Zoo giant pandas enjoy fall weather — Nov. 14, 2008

Three-year-old giant panda Tai Shan poses on a fallen tree in his exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat on November 7, 2008. Fall is a great time to see the pandas. Keepers have noted that on the cool mornings, the pandas are beginning to climb and play in the trees. In the summer, heat and humidity cause the pandas to keep cool by spending more time relaxing in cooled dens and grottos.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Nov. 7, 2008

• High-res image

Three-year-old giant panda Tai Shan snacks on bamboo in his exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat on November 7, 2008. As the weather cools, giant pandas increase their daily consumption of bamboo. Scientists believe that pandas—whose ancestors are carnivores—evolved to eat only bamboo because it is one of the few sources of food available year round in their native China habitat.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Nov. 7, 2008

• High-res image

Silver fox rabbits debut at Kids' Farm — Nov. 5, 2008

Four silver fox rabbits have a new home at the Kids’ Farm in the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. This particular breed was developed in the U.S. in the early twentieth century and has two recognized variations: blue and black. Blue silver pictured here.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy /Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 5, 2008

• High-res image

Two black silver fox rabbits nuzzle up to each other at the Kids’ Farm in the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. There are four rabbits now on exhibit. Known for its gentle disposition, this particular breed was developed in the U.S. in the early twentieth century and has two recognized variations: blue and black.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 5, 2008

• High-res image

A blue silver fox rabbit at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo rubs its face and whiskers with its front paws. The National Zoo now has four silver fox rabbits on exhibit at the Kids’ Farm. Baby silver fox rabbits are born blue or black but begin to turn silver at four weeks old. At five months of age, the silvering process is complete. Their coat is longer and a bit coarser than most other rabbit fur.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 5, 2008

• High-res image

Orangutans "tailgate" at the National Zoo — Nov. 3, 2008

Both the keepers and the animals at the National Zoo’s Great Ape House in Washington, DC made the most of a pre-game tailgate party in honor of the Nov. 3 Washington Redskins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Monday Night Football game.  The orangutans participated in the fun with enrichment goodies like fries (cut baked potatoes), Redskins/Steelers banners (sheets they like to cover themselves with) and life-like quarterbacks made of straw (bedding). Go team!!  

Picutred: Orangutan Kyle

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 3, 2008

• High-res image

Pictured: Orangutan Lucy

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 3, 2008

• High-res image

Pictured: Orangutan Kyle

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Nov. 3, 2008

• High-res image

Eld's deer born at Conservation Research Center — Oct. 17, 2008

What might first appear as yet another addition to the ever-growing deer population is truly something more.  Smithsonian scientists and animal keepers at the National Zoo’s Conservation Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia welcomed a new baby Eld's deer to their collection last week.  The Eld’s deer, indigenous to Southeast Asia and named after British officer Lt. Percy Eld in 1844, is an endangered subspecies that is reaching near extinction in the wild.  With numbers severely low (fewer than 2,000 remaining in the wild), this birth carries great significance to the species’ survival.   The mother, Eve and baby girl are doing well and will join a herd of 14 females in a few months.

Photo Credit Lisa Ware /Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Oct. 17, 2008

• High-res image

Black-footed ferrets born from artificial insemination — Aug. 28, 2008

A two week old black footed ferret is pictured in its nesting box at the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Va. on July 3, 2008. The kit was born on June 21 to a two-year-old mother and a father who had died in 2000. National Zoo reproductive scientists inseminated the female with frozen black-footed ferret semen stored in their genome resource bank—a frozen repository of sperm and eggs of a variety of endangered species.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy /Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date July 3, 2008

• High-res image

A two month old black-footed ferret (right) is pictured with its mother at the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal. Va. on August 18, 2008. The mother gave birth to the kit on June 21 after National Zoo reproductive scientists inseminated her with previously frozen semen from a male that died in 1998. Successful inseminations with frozen semen are extremely rare—until now only three black-footed ferret kits have been born from this method.

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date Aug. 18, 2008

• High-res image

40th kori bustard chick hatches at the Smithsonian's National Zoo — July 17, 2008

Chasi, a kori bustard chick at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, peers out from under a feather duster on July 8, 2008. The feather duster mimics a mother kori bustard’s feathers and provides a sense of protection to the chick, whose hatching on June 29 marked a milestone in the National Zoo’s 11-year breeding program. Chasi is the 40th chick hatched at the National Zoo, which has bred more kori bustards than any other zoo in the Western Hemisphere. The world’s heaviest flying bird is in decline throughout its range on the savannas of eastern and southern Africa. The National Zoo is one of only two zoos in the U.S. that consistently breeds kori bustards.

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date July 3, 2008

• High-res image

Chasi, a kori bustard chick at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, gazes at its reflection in a mirror on July 8, 2008. The mirror provides stimulation to the young chick as part of the Zoo’s animal enrichment program, in which novel items are introduced to the animals’ environment to vary their routines and encourage their natural behaviors. Chasi is the 40th chick hatched at the National Zoo, which has bred more kori bustards than any other zoo in the Western Hemisphere. The world’s heaviest flying bird is in decline throughout its range on the savannas of eastern and southern Africa. The National Zoo is one of only two zoos in the U.S. that consistently breeds kori bustards

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date July 8, 2008

• High-res image

Kori bustard chicks Ema (left) and Chasi emerge from under a feather duster at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on July 8, 2008. The feather duster mimics a mother kori bustard’s feathers and provides a sense of protection to the chicks, which hatched on June 28 (Ema) and June 29 (Chasi). Chasi is the 40th chick hatched at the National Zoo, which has bred more kori bustards than any other zoo in the Western Hemisphere. The chicks are being hand-reared by Bird House staff to protect them from wild predators. Kori bustards are the world’s heaviest flying bird, and the chicks could grow to be as large as 35 pounds. The National Zoo is one of only two zoos in the U.S. that consistently breeds kori bustards, which are in decline throughout their range on the savannas of eastern and southern Africa

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen /Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date July 8, 2008

• High-res image

Przewalski's horse foals born at Conservation and Research Center — July 10, 2008
	Two recently born Przewalski’s horse foals explore their pasture at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Conservation and Research Center (CRC) on July 3, 2008. Both foals were sired by a 9-year-old stallion named Frog, the most genetically valuable Przewalski’s horse in the North American breeding program. The mothers of the filly and the colt came from Europe to breed with Frog in order to boost the breeding program. The Przewalski’s horse is a horse species native to China and Mongolia and was declared extinct in the wild in 1970. Currently, there are approximately 1,500 of these animals maintained in zoological institutions throughout the world and in several small reintroduced populations in Asia. Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo Date July 3, 2008 High-res image
	A female Przewalski’s horse born on June 27 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Conservation and Research Center (CRC) gallops around her enclosure on July 3, 2008. The filly is the offspring of horses Frog and Maja. Frog is the highest ranking genetically valuable Przewalski’s horse in the North American breeding program which means his genes are not represented in the population. Maja and another female came from Europe to breed with Frog in order to boost the breeding program. The filly will remain at CRC until the Przewalski’s Horse Species Survival Plan places her at another institution for future breeding. Declared extinct in the wild in 1970, the Przewalski’s horse is native to China and Mongolia. Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo Date July 3, 2008 High-res image
	A male Przewalski’s horse, born on July 1 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center (CRC), grazes under the watchful eye of his mother, Emma on July 3, 2008. He will remain at CRC until the Przewalski’s Horse Species Survival Plan places him at another institution for future breeding. The colt was sired by Frog, a 9-year-old male who is the most genetically valuable Przewalski’s horse in the North American breeding program. The Przewalski’s horse is a horse species native to China and Mongolia that was declared extinct in the wild in 1970. Currently, there are approximately 1,500 of these animals maintained in zoological institutions throughout the world and in several small reintroduced populations in Asia Photo Credit Jessie Cohen /Smithsonian’s National Zoo Date July 3, 2008 High-res image

Tai Shan turns three — July 9, 2008

Tai Shan, a giant panda at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, celebrates his third birthday on July 9, 2008, with a special fruitcicle made of water and gelatin in the shape of a three. He also received two additional tiered fruitcicles made of water, bamboo leaves and various fruits and vegetables. Tai Shan is the first surviving panda cub born at the National Zoo in its 119-year history. He lives at the National Zoo’s Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat with his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 9, 2008

• High-res image

Tai Shan, a giant panda at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, celebrates his third birthday on July 9, 2008, with a special fruitcicle made of water and gelatin in the shape of a three. He also received two additional tiered fruitcicles made of water, bamboo leaves and various fruits and vegetables. Tai Shan is the first surviving panda cub born at the National Zoo in its 119-year history. He lives at the National Zoo’s Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat with his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 9, 2008

• High-res image

Tai Shan, a giant panda at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, celebrates his third birthday on July 9, 2008, with a special fruitcicle made of water and gelatin in the shape of a three. He also received two additional tiered fruitcicles made of water, bamboo leaves and various fruits and vegetables. Tai Shan is the first surviving panda cub born at the National Zoo in its 119-year history. He lives at the National Zoo’s Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat with his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 9, 2008

• High-res image

Tai Shan, a giant panda at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, celebrates his third birthday on July 9, 2008, with a special fruitcicle made of water and gelatin in the shape of a three. He also received two additional tiered fruitcicles made of water, bamboo leaves and various fruits and vegetables. Tai Shan is the first surviving panda cub born at the National Zoo in its 119-year history. He lives at the National Zoo’s Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat with his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 9, 2008

• High-res image

Recent Zoo births now on exhibit — July 2, 2008

Two one-month-old San Clemente goats, a two-week-old prehensile-tailed porcupine and a two-month-old greater Madagascar tenrec are now on exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

An endangered breed, the San Clemente goats are on exhibit at the Kids' Farm. The breed originates from goats left on isolated San Clemente Island off the coast of San Diego more than 100 years ago. Currently, there are only 300 animals in existence worldwide.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 1, 2008

• High-res image

Prehensile-tailed porcupines are born with soft, reddish quills which eventually turn in to hard spikes as it grows. “Prehensile-tailed” refers to the fact that this tree-living species uses its tail to grip and hang on branches. The two-week-old porcupine is on exhibit at the Small Mammal House

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 1, 2008

• High-res image

The greater Madagascar tenrec resembles a hedgehog but has a rounder muzzle and a less compact body. Because the species is nocturnal, visitors to the Small Mammal House might get a quick glimpse of the tenrec as it peeks out from its hiding place.

Photo Credit Jessie Cohen/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date July 2, 2008

• High-res image

White-naped crane chick — June 17, 2008
	A recently hatched white-naped crane and her parents forage together for insects and grubs at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Front Royal, VA. The chick hatched as a result of artificial insemination on June 5, 2008. The white-naped crane is listed as an endangered species. Despite the declining numbers of white-naped cranes in the wild, CRC has produced four chicks in the last three years. In the breeding season of 2007, the center’s bird unit staff developed a new technique to determine the sex of the embryo that allows them to penetrate the eggshell and extract blood without harming the embryo. Using this technique, they discovered that this chick was a rare female.   Photo Credit Chris Crowe/Smithsonian’s National Zoo Date June 15, 2008 High-res image
	A recently hatched white-naped crane forage together for insects and grubs at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Front Royal, VA. The mother of the chick is one of the most genetically valuable white-naped cranes in the Species Survival Program; however, she is also imprinted on people, making her aggressive towards other cranes and unable to care for her chick. Raised by her attentive biological father and a foster mother, the chick will remain under their care and protection until the next breeding season in about ten months.  Photo Credit Chris Crowe/Smithsonian’s National Zoo Date June 15, 2008 High-res image

Tammar wallaby joey — June 2, 2008

A tammar wallaby joey peeks out its mother’s pouch at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on May 30, 2008. Tammar wallabies are marsupials—like kangaroos—and after birth, offspring climb into their mothers’ pouch and where they nurse and continue developing over several months. Keepers first noticed the joey’s head emerging from the pouch in March. They estimate it is now seven months old. Not wanting to disturb the delicate bond between the mother and baby, keepers have yet to separate them for an exam to determine its sex and weight..

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Friday, May 30, 2008

• High-res image

A tammar wallaby joey stays close to its mother as it explores its enclosure at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on May 30, 2008. Tammar wallabies are marsupials—like kangaroos—and after birth, offspring climb into their mothers’ pouch where they nurse and continue developing over several months. The National Zoo has six wallabies—two males, three females, and the joey whose sex is still unknown. Not wanting to disturb the delicate bond between the mother and baby, keepers have yet to separate them for an exam to determine the sex and weight.

Photo Credit Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Date Friday, May 30, 2008

• High-res image