News

Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo today, Aug. 22. The panda team witnessed the birth at 5:35 pm. Mei Xiang reacted to the cub by picking it up. The panda team began preparing for a birth when they saw Mei Xiang's water break at 4:32 pm and she...

For the first time at the National Zoo, veterinarians detected something new during an ultrasound procedure this morning on giant panda Mei Xiang. They believe it is a developing giant panda fetus. Based on the size of the fetus, which is about four centimeters, veterinarians estimate that Mei Xiang...

For the first time at the National Zoo, veterinarians detected something new during an ultrasound procedure this morning on giant panda Mei Xiang. They believe it is a developing giant panda fetus. Based on the size of the fetus, which is about four centimeters, veterinarians estimate that Mei Xiang...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) has been a leader in black-footed ferret conservation since a small population of this solitary, nocturnal carnivore was discovered in 1981. SCBI received offspring from the species' surviving 18 individuals and was the first institution to breed...

For b-roll, click here. Five critically endangered Cuban crocodiles hatched at the National Zoo's Reptile Discovery Center between July 29 and Aug. 7. The eggs were laid by Dorothy, a 57-year-old genetically valuable crocodile. The hatchlings are less than a foot long, but they could reach up to 10...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is mourning the loss of a young male agouti named Macadamia, who died Aug. 10 during veterinary treatment. Initial exam suggested potential neck and or head injury. Due to the habit of running quickly around the habitat, self-induced trauma is suspected. According to...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists have confirmed a secondary rise in giant panda Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) urinary progesterone levels. The slow rise started July 20 and indicates that she will either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 30 to 50 days...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists have confirmed a secondary rise in giant panda Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) urinary progesterone levels. The slow rise started July 20 and indicates that she will either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 30 to 50 days...

Zabini, an elderly male cheetah living at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, was humanely euthanized late evening Aug. 3. He was being treated for ongoing weakness in his hind limbs and was anesthetized for a complete exam Monday. Hind-limb weakness is a possible symptom of a neurologic disorder...

In a sweeping paper in Biology Letters published today, Aug. 5, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists are calling for a dramatic shift in when biologists study animals in their natural habitat.

Last month Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute chief veterinarian, Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer and veterinarians from the San Diego Zoo and Hong Kong Zoo led a first-of-its-kind veterinary workshop at the Dujiangyan Panda Base to diagnose and elevate the level of medicine provided to giant...

We are sad to announce that a 30-year-old male kori bustard at the Bird House died Aug. 1. A pathology report will...Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Monday, August 3, 2015

The Zoo has a new troop of seven monkeys! It's a mixed-species group of guenons. Learn all about our new monkeys, and about guenons, in this Q&A with primate curator Meredith Bastian and keepers Alexandra Reddy and Elliott Rosenthal. What are guenons? "Guenon" is the name of a group of monkeys that...

We’re excited to share the discovery of the first new canid species in Africa in 150 years, the African golden wolf....Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Thursday, July 30, 2015

Visiting the Elephant Community Center, you may notice a new accessory in Kandula’s yard. It’s a crate. A 17-foot-long,...Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Wednesday, July 29, 2015

The Smithsonian's National Zoo recently welcomed two species of guenons to its zoological family: four Allen's swamp monkeys and three Schmidt's red-tailed monkeys. All seven guenons are now on exhibit in the Think Tank indoor and outdoor habitats. As the monkeys continue to acclimate, keepers will...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is mourning the loss of a 12-year-old male cheetah named Shombay, who died July 18. A final pathology report will provide more information, but his health had been in decline for the past few months. In February, an X-ray detected a growth in Shombay's...

Born: November 25, 2001 Sex: Male Weight: Approximately 7,400 pounds. He weighed 324 pounds when he was born. Name: Kandula was named for the most famous elephant in Sri Lanka's history. The original Kandula was a gift to an infant prince 2,150 years ago. The future king and his elephant grew up...

By Lauren Augustine The first exhibit in RDC displays a very unique and rare species of crocodilian, the Philippine crocodile. This species is critically endangered wild populations were estimated to be less than 15,000 way back in 1995. Mindy, the Philippine crocodile is one of the first reptiles...

Yesterday shortly after 7 p.m., a male agouti escaped from his outdoor enclosure behind the Small Mammal House at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Agoutis are large beautiful rodents about the size of a large house cat. Zoo staff kept the animal in view and successfully herded him back into a...

The Board of Directors of Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) is pleased to announce that Lynn Mento has been named Executive Director. Lynn brings extensive leadership experience in marketing and membership-skills that FONZ believes position her very well to lead the organization to and through the...

By Lauren Augustine Remember those really important eggs we got back in May from Dorothy our 57-year-old Cuban crocodile? Well, we are now about half way through incubation. Five of the ten eggs are continuing to develop. We track development through a process called candling, this involves taking a...

The phrase "tracking" usually conjures up images of biologists hacking through the bush, using footprints or radio collars to find animals. But a team of Smithsonian scientist tracks animals another way: using an army of volunteer citizen scientists and camera-traps in a revolutionary program called...

Seven red panda cubs were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute! Our animal care team is always hopeful that new moms will raise their own cubs, but that's not always possible. And when it isn't, keepers are ready to hand-raise cubs. Hear from keeper Jessica Kordell in the latest Q...

Bird House curator Sara Hallager has hand-raised kori bustard chicks for nearly 20 years. Now, she's doing it again with two recent hatchlings! Find out about hand-raising chicks from incubation to independence in this Q & A. When did the chick hatch, and how is it doing? Our Kori bustard chicks...