Animal News
Sep. 21, 2018
Friends of the National Zoo volunteers are helping primate keepers monitor how our western lowland gorillas interact with one another, says primate keeper Melba Brown.
Sep. 14, 2018
Moke is 5 months old! Check out primate keeper Melba Brown's latest update on our western lowland gorillas.
Sep. 07, 2018
Western lowland gorilla Moke celebrated his mom's birthday and is learning through play, says primate keeper Melba Brown.
Sep. 06, 2018
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's seven cubs are thriving! They received a clean bill of health at their first veterinary exam.
Sep. 05, 2018
Migratory bird conservation is taking flight at zoos and aquariums, according to a new paper published in Zoo Biology. The study outlines the role that Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited...
Aug. 31, 2018
Follow Primate Keeper Melba Brown's latest #GorillaStory update on 20-week-old western lowland gorilla Moke!
Aug. 30, 2018
As the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s great apes prepare to go to sleep, they make their beds, then settle in. Just like their wild counterparts, orangutans in zoos build cozy nests.
Aug. 30, 2018
During your next visit to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, look up—there may be a bear in the treetops! Beorn, a 1-year-old Andean bear, joined our Zoo family this summer.
Aug. 29, 2018
If you think a blind, nearly hairless rodent that lives underground can’t get much stranger, then buckle up. There’s a lot more to these weird (and wonderful) rodents than meets the eye!
Aug. 24, 2018
Primate keeper Melba Brown says western lowland gorilla infant Moke's big (and often, humorous) personality is beginning to emerge.
Aug. 23, 2018
The iconic song of the American West, “Home on the Range,” got a key detail wrong — buffalo never roamed the region! But bison still do. Isn’t it time you learned why?
Aug. 22, 2018
Bei Bei turned 3 years old today! In celebration of his big day, Bei Bei enjoyed an ice-cake, participated in an enrichment painting session and received a new panda-friendly enrichment toy.
Aug. 17, 2018
In her latest update, primate keeper Melba Brown shares that 4-month-old Moke is embarking on a new era of discovery.
Aug. 10, 2018
At 4 months old, western lowland gorilla infant Moke is already solid on his footing and has started giving his mom, Calaya, some good exercise in chasing after him!
Aug. 03, 2018
With a sleek, eel-like body and beady eyes, the aquatic caecilian is quite an unusual amphibian. In this Q&A, animal keeper Denny Charlton shares some of his favorite fun facts about these wiggly...
Aug. 03, 2018
Primate keeper Melba Brown shares the latest news about 15-week-old western lowland gorilla Moke.
Aug. 02, 2018
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s charismatic Bornean orangutan infant, Redd, will celebrate his second birthday Sept. 12! Since the last update in February, he has hit some major milestones. Get the...
Jul. 27, 2018
Check out the latest update on our 3.5-month-old gorilla infant from primate keeper Melba Brown.
Jul. 20, 2018
Now that our 13-week-old western lowland gorilla infant Moke is practicing his walking skills, we are beginning to see some interesting changes in the social dynamics of our mixed-sex troop.
Jul. 16, 2018
In honor of National Zookeeper Week, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is featuring some of the dedicated professionals who go above and beyond for the animals in our...
Jul. 13, 2018
Find the answers to some of the most-searched questions about black-footed ferrets, North America’s only native ferret species! These playful animals were once thought to be extinct but have made an...
Jul. 13, 2018
Western lowland gorilla Moke is learning to walk! This week, he spent some quality time with 9-year-old Kibibi.
Jul. 11, 2018
Think ewe know all there is to know about goats, pigs, donkeys and moooo-re? These Kids’ Farm animal facts may have you stumped!
Jul. 06, 2018
Meet Victoria and Adelaide — the new Bennett’s wallabies at the Zoo! Get the scoop on the Small Mammal House’s marsupials from curator Steve Sarro and animal keepers Ashton Ball and Esther Wray.
Jul. 06, 2018
Training tigers to show their teeth and preening prickly porcupines is all in a day’s work for keeper Dell Guglielmo! As a member of the Great Cats animal care team, she works with everything from...
