News Archive

Two Cheetah Cubs Transferred to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Three weeks after their unconventional and rocky entrance into the world, two 3-week-old cheetahs were transported May 18 to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in good health, thanks to the hard work and swift actions of animal care staff at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va.

Smithsonian Scientists Find Female Coatis Help Offspring of Other Females
When Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute postdoctoral fellow Ben Hirsch found that juvenile ring-tailed coatis regularly attack stronger, older coatis and often even receive help from adult females, previous studies about how related animals treat one another could not predict his next discovery.

Media Advisory: Friends of the National Zoo is Hosting ZooFari Tonight at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
The National Zoo will close early today in preparation for ZooFari (6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.). The lower half of the Zoo, from the Small Mammal House down, will close at noon. The outdoor giant panda exhibit will close at 2 p.m., and the entire Zoo will close at 4 p.m. Last admittance to the Zoo is at 3 p.m. Drivers may experience some traffic congestion along Connecticut Ave., NW between 5:45 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Infrastructure Supporting National Parks May Provide Poachers Easier Access to Wildlife
As new development projects take over pristine wilderness, national parks provide some of the last safe havens for wildlife. But Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists have found that the very infrastructure that supports the parks can result in easier access to the wildlife the parks aim to protect.

Otter Family Makes a Splash at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
Eleven Asian Small-Clawed Otters to Make Public Debut May 12

Media Advisory: Media Advisory: Asian Small-Clawed Otter Family Debuts at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
A new family of Asian small-clawed otters (Amblonyx cinereus) is making quite a splash at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Eleven otters—two parents and two litters of their offspring—will dive into their new digs during an exclusive media preview.

ZooFari, a Culinary Safari, will be Served Up Next Week at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo feeds 400 species regularly, but on May 17 Friends of the National Zoo will host the human species at ZooFari, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Guests are invited on a culinary safari to sample gourmet fare from more than 100 of the D.C. area’s finest restaurants. The list of restaurants includes Citronelle, Marcel’s, Equinox, 1789 Restaurant and Graffiato. Fifteen vintners will be on hand to cleanse diners’ palates with glasses of wine between bites.

National Zoo’s 36-Year-Old Elephant Makes Musical Debut
When the elephant keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo hear the sound of a harmonica, it is not the radio they have left on.

Smithsonian's National Performs Artificial Insemination on Its Female Giant Panda
Giant panda breeding season began this year at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo when female giant panda, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), went into estrus over the weekend. Dr. Li Desheng from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, and National Zoo scientists and veterinarians performed an artificial insemination Sunday night after they determined no competent natural breeding had occurred between Mei Xiang and male giant panda, Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN). Desheng and the National Zoo’s panda team will perform another artificial insemination this evening. The National Zoo’s twitter feed (@NationalZoo) will have live updates of the procedure with the hashtag #pandaAI.

Two Small-clawed Otters at the National Zoo Have Died
Two young adult Asian small-clawed otters, from a new family of 13, died late yesterday at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

Smithsonian Researchers Use Non-Invasive Techniques to Look at Genetic Diversity in Leopards from a Distance
Genetic analysis can give researchers a wealth of information about an individual animal or an entire population. But when the animal is wild, dangerous and rare, it can be difficult to obtain the best sources of DNA, which would usually mean capturing the animal to get a blood or tissue sample. Researchers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have spent years developing genetic techniques that use more easily acquired samples, and their latest success uses scat, or feces, collected from wild leopards living in the highlands of India.

What’s New at the National Zoo this Spring
Visitors strolling through the Smithsonian’s National Zoo one of these beautiful spring days will see a variety of baby animals, some new faces and enjoy an entirely new food experience.

Human-Modified Habitats Indirectly Influence Bird-Mating Patterns, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Scientists Find
A new study suggests that changes by people in suburban environments can affect the number of breeding pairs, their selection of a mate and even shape how a species evolves.

Smithsonian Scientist Uses Innovative Method to Predict How Forests Will Change Over Time
Many factors affect the future of forests, making it complicated to develop predictions about where they will disappear and where they will flourish, what types of trees they will include and how much carbon they will store in the years to come. In a paper published in this month’s issue of BioScience, a scientist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute explores the potential of a creative technique to look toward the future of forests.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Publishes Two Significant Panda Studies
Two new research papers by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and partners will help conservation biologists make strides in saving the fewer than 1,600 giant pandas left in the mountain forests of central China.

Photo Release: Black Howler Monkey Born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
Spring is in full swing at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, and the Small Mammal House—which celebrated the birth of a black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) March 22—is no exception. Since then, keepers have been monitoring the family at a distance, allowing first-time parents Chula (mother) and Pele (father) to bond with their baby.

National Zoo Gorillas are the First to Participate in Heart Disease Study
The same device used to detect early warning signs of heart disease in humans will now benefit two male sub-adult gorillas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Twelve-year-old Kwame and 10-year-old Kojo are the first western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) to participate in a study lead by the Great Ape Heart Project that will help veterinarians better detect and treat heart disease—the leading cause of death of male gorillas in human care.

Facebook Users Get Chance to Name Two Maned Wolf Pups at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Two of the four maned wolf pups born Jan. 5 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., are in need of names and for the first time the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is turning to Facebook to find the most fitting monikers.

Sodexo Wins Foodservice Contract for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Part of the mission of the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., is to provide exciting and enriching experiences for approximately 2 million annual local, national and international Zoo visitors. As the National Zoo’s new foodservice partner, Sodexo, leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions, will work with the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) throughout a 10-year contract to create dining options that are an extension of the Zoo experience and support its mission.

Elderly Oryx Dies at Smithsonian’s National Zoo
The National Zoo’s 21-year-old female scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), Liberty, was euthanized this morning. A final pathology report will provide more information, but her health had been in decline for several months.

Photo Release: On St. Patrick’s Day, National Zoo Animals Find Treats at the End of the Rainbow
With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, animals—and their keepers—at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Cheetah Conservation Station got into the holiday spirit. Animal care staff and aides created enrichment items—a paper-Mache mouse and Leprechaun hat—for maned wolves Siete and Diamantina. Inside were some of the wolves’ favorite treats, including frozen-thawed mice, red grapes and banana. These animals, which are native to central South America, are omnivores and will eat small mammals, insects, reptiles, birds, bird eggs, fruits and vegetation.

Tickets for ZooFari at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on Sale Now
Tickets are now on sale for ZooFari—D.C.’s foodie event of the year that drives diners wild. Food aficionados are invited to unleash their taste buds and sample delicious dishes from the area’s finest restaurants and vintners. ZooFari, hosted by Friends of the National Zoo, will be held May 17 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Rare Guam Rails Hatch at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
As Washington, D.C.’s unseasonably warm winter turns into spring, a baby boom is underway at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Two Guam rail (Gallirallus owstoni) chicks hatched March 3 and 4; they join six others in the Zoo’s collection—three of which live at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va.

New Zealand Ambassador Names National Zoo Kiwi Chick
The third female brown kiwi that hatched at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Dec. 11 has a new moniker: Omana (pronounced “oh-MAH-nah”). Mike Moore, New Zealand Ambassador to the United States, named the kiwi in honor of his hometown, O-Manawatere.

Make Waves with “Project Blue Planet” to Save the Oceans
In celebration of the Zoo’s seal and sea lion exhibit set to open later this year, the Zoo challenges elementary, middle and high school students to form eco-teams or class projects that can educate their classmates and inspire them to take action.

Photo Release: Adorable Maned Wolf Pups Get a Medical Exam
The four maned wolf pups born Jan. 5 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., received their first vaccinations Thursday during a routine medical exam.

Smithsonian Scientist Finds Obesity Risk Factors in Young Marmosets
A new study of marmosets, small South American monkeys, indicates that obesity may begin very early in life and suggests that marmosets may be a helpful model for obesity in humans.

Photo Release: National Zoo Animals Steal Hearts This Valentine’s Day
Where is the love this Valentine’s Day? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

Media Advisory: Celebrate Valentine's Day at the Smithsonian's National Zoo

Roche Supports the Smithsonian’s National Zoo with Next-Generation Sequencing Instrument for Animal Conservation Research
Roche and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, DC announced today a collaboration agreement to use Roche’s GS Junior benchtop sequencing system for research in SCBI’s Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics.

Top Ten Critter Cupids from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
This Valentine’s Day, web visitors can “woo” their loved ones with a truly wild gift—naming a National Zoo critter after a sweetie, a friend or a family member.

Four Maned Wolf Pups Born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Although 2012 has only just begun, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., already has something to celebrate in the new year: the birth of four maned wolf pups Jan. 5.

Tiger Conservation Partnership to Hold First Smart Patrol Training Course in Nepal
Starting Jan. 30, teams of frontline staff from tiger reserves in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, China and Russia will be in Nepal learning from SCBI and partners how to adapt their conservation strategies to combat poaching, prevent tiger parts from entering the stream of commerce and other threats to tigers.

Woo Your Valentine at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
Wooing is an art form whether you're human or animal. Take a walk on the wild side and learn about romance in the animal kingdom at Woo at the Zoo on Feb. 11, at the National Zoo.

Photo Release: Last Chance to See the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Lion Pride Together
Animal care staff have begun preparations for separating the 1-1/2 year-old male juveniles from their father, mothers and sisters.