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Vet tech Jo Fujito and sea lion Celia. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
October 23, 2026

Here’s How Veterinary Technicians Help Care For More Than 1,700 Animals at the Smithsonian ›

In celebration of Vet Tech Week, take a sneak peek into a day in the life of our vet techs!

Photo of a clay robber frog sitting beside a large, white mushroom. The frog is
October 14, 2026

Museum Specimens Reveal Pathogen Behind Decades-Old Mystery Of Disappearing Frogs ›

New research ties dramatic losses of Brazilian frogs in the 1970s to deadly amphibian chytrid fungus.

A group of smiling attendees at a tapir conservation workshop
October 13, 2026

How Smithsonian Science Helped the Lowland Tapir Become the Face of Forest Conversation in Paraguay ›

Follow the five-year journey that brought together governments, zoos, and conservation experts to give the lowland tapir a fighting chance.

Photo from an animal live stream camera showing an adult female cheetah with five tiny cubs in a den.
October 09, 2026

The Smithsonian National Zoo's Cheetah Cub Cam Returns — With Five Adorable Reasons to Tune In ›

Four generations of one cheetah family now live at the Zoo's off-campus research facility. Meet the newest members.

Photo from an animal live stream camera showing an adult female cheetah with five tiny cubs in a den.
October 09, 2026

Litter of Five Cheetah Cubs Are Born at Smithsonian Conservation Campus; Cheetah Cub Cam Returns ›

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute welcomed the births of five healthy cheetah cubs born to 5-year-old first-time mother Zura Monday, Oct. 5, at NZCBI’s conservation campus in Front Royal, Virginia. Virtual visitors can watch the family via the Cheetah Cub Cam, a live...

Banner with lights featuring the words "Welcome to ZooLights" above a lit-up eagle, elephant and snake.
October 08, 2026

ZooLights Returns Nov. 20 to Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute ›

The holiday season will shine brighter when ZooLights returns this November. Tickets on sale now.

Closeup of a porcupine's black-furred face
October 06, 2026

11 Fascinating Facts About North American Porcupines ›

There are plenty of surprises to discover about these prickly creatures.

A meerkat pokes its head into a jack-o-lantern
October 05, 2026

Watch Meerkats Explore Jack-o'-Lanterns and Cauldrons ›

Seven meerkats got a Halloween-themed surprise from their keepers. See how they dug in.

Portrait of a green and brown variable harlequin frog sitting in against a white backdrop.
September 30, 2026

Climate Refuges May Be Key to Restoring Imperiled Amphibians ›

As deadly disease continues to ravage wild frog populations, scientists in Panama found places where amphibians might be able to persist in the presence of disease.

Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
September 24, 2026

Smithsonian Zoo Director Shares Untold Stories of Giant Pandas in New Book ›

Brandie Smith's new book, set to debut Nov. 10, recounts surprising and little-known stories about the Zoo’s pandas and the people who care for them.

Photo of five people standing together on a stage for a groundbreaking ceremony. All five hold golden shovels and are digging into a container filled with purple sand.
September 16, 2026

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and Royal Commission for AlUla Break Ground on Arabian Leopard Exhibit ›

The Smithsonian and the Royal Commission for AlUla kicked off construction on a new exhibit slated to open winter 2029.

Giant panda Qing Bao takes a bite out of the "5" atop her birthday fruitsicle cake. (Skip Brown/Smithsonian)
September 12, 2026

Happy 5th Birthday, Qing Bao ›

To celebrate giant panda Qing Bao's birthday, keepers went "far out" and created a 1970s-themed party full of bright colors and iconic pop culture slogans.

Sloth hangs upside down
September 11, 2026

See These 5 New Animals at Your Next Visit to the Smithsonian's National Zoo ›

From a spunky new sloth to a dazzling electric eel, get ready to meet the newest residents making themselves at home.

Giant panda Qing Bao eats a stalk of bamboo in her outdoor habitat. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
September 09, 2026

Media Advisory: Giant Panda Qing Bao 5th Birthday Celebration ›

Giant panda Qing Bao will celebrate her 5th birthday Sept. 12 with a specially tailored fruitsicle cake.

Closeup of a scaly giant tortoise's head
September 08, 2026

Happy 50th 'Zooniversary' to Chyna and Rulon, the Zoo’s Aldabra Giant Tortoises ›

There are plenty of objects and artifacts at the Smithsonian that are old. But at the National Zoo, there's not much older than Rulon and Chyna.

Two pig-like animals stand in front of a fence
September 03, 2026

8 Reasons Why Zoo Staff Think the Chacoan Peccary Might Be Your New Favorite Animal ›

Two animal care experts share why this new species might become your next obsession.

A close-up portrait of Asian elephant calf Linh Mai's face. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
August 28, 2026

Look Back At Linh Mai’s Most Memorable Moments As She Turns 7 Months Old ›

Seven months ago, the world fell in love with a little Asian elephant named Linh Mai. As she turns 7 months old, we're taking a look back at her most memorable moments.

Two men stand in a green field with a forest in the background
August 24, 2026

Meet the Retirees Turning Their Farms Into Wildlife Corridors ›

As habitat fragmentation threatens Virginia's wildlife, two retired neighbors are turning their farms into biodiversity havens backed by Smithsonian science.

Image of baby elephant Linh Mai in a yellow and orange flower shaped mask. The words Tickets on Sale Now and October 16, 17, and 18 appear on a black background alongside the words Boo at the Zoo.
August 20, 2026

Two Ticketed Halloween Celebrations at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute ›

Halloween traditions return to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo this October with two wildly popular after-hours events.

Gloved hands hold two fuzzy red panda cubs
August 18, 2026

Three Adorable Red Panda Cubs Born This Summer at the Zoo’s Front Royal Campus ›

“The cubs are really just balls of fur that eat and sleep right now,” said Jessica Kordell, assistant curator of carnivores.

A big eyed newborn oryx calf cradled by a zookeeper
August 14, 2026

How Smithsonian Science Is Helping the Scimitar-Horned Oryx Recover — and Thrive ›

Once pushed to the brink of extinction, the oryx is becoming one of conservation's most inspirational stories.

A box turtle perched atop a plastic cup with a tracker glued to its shell
August 14, 2026

How X-Rays, Plastic Cups and Spools of String Help National Zoo Researchers Find Wild Box Turtle Nests ›

To find out why Eastern box turtles are declining across Virginia, Smithsonian staff are getting creative.

Side profile of a hellbender with slimy orange and green skin
August 06, 2026

11 Fascinating Facts About the Hellbender, North America’s Largest Amphibian ›

Hiding in Appalachia’s cool mountain streams is one impressively large salamander.

A panda surveys her surroundings from atop a fallen log.
August 06, 2026

Giant Panda Program Media Resources ›

Find comprehensive resources for media on the giant panda program at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Giant panda Bao Li enjoys his shark-themed birthday cake on Aug. 4, 2026, at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
August 04, 2026

Happy 5th Birthday, Bao Li ›

Giant panda Bao Li celebrated turning 5 years old with a shark-themed birthday bash, complete with a fruitsicle "cake" and boat buoy enrichment.