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Animal News

Female black-footed ferret Hickory in a nest box nursing her kits at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.
Jun. 02, 2023
Carnivore keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia welcomed a litter of endangered black-footed ferrets last week. One-year-old...
Newborn gorilla cradled by mother Calaya, a 20-year-old female western lowland gorilla. She gave birth to her second offspring May 27 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
May. 28, 2023
For the first time in five years, primate staff are celebrating the birth of a western lowland gorilla—a critically endangered species. It was born between midnight and 6:15 a.m. May 27 to mother...
Three meerkat pups were born to mother Sadie and father Frankie May 10, 2023.
May. 24, 2023
For the first time in 16 years, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C., is celebrating the birth of three meerkats. 
May. 22, 2023
How do you train a panda to voluntarily participate in blood draws and other medical exams? By building the bears’ trust and rewarding their participation with treats!
May. 12, 2023
Earlier this spring, a curious and playful pinniped splashed down on American Trail. Meet Ronin, our 1-year-old sea lion, who has charmed keepers and visitors alike since her debut in April!
A scientist holds a frog in his hand.
May. 12, 2023
Poison frogs living in human care aren’t poisonous, thanks to a “detox” diet of mild insects, like crickets and fruit flies. Can adding alkaloids to a frog’s diet help it regain its toxins and get...
Lemur leaf frog on exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.
May. 07, 2023
'Hoppy' Amphibian Awareness Week! All week long, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will be sharing stories about amazing amphibians and the scientists working to save...
Researcher holds a radio-tagged Kirtland’s Warbler, a yellow and gray songbird, just before releasing it in The Bahamas.
May. 01, 2023
Every spring and fall billions of birds fly thousands of miles to reach their breeding and wintering grounds, yet some of the most basic details of these astonishing avian pilgrimages remain murky....
A close-up, head-on photo of a salamander resting on a bed of moss.
Apr. 27, 2023
With just a few tips and tricks, anyone can find salamanders and celebrate nature in their local area.
Cheetah cubs Ziad and Enzi cautiously approach a large square green container filled with ice. Resting on top of the ice are a pair of bones for the cubs to eat.
Apr. 25, 2023
The warm weather has brought the cubs new enrichment activities, including a tub filled with ice cubes! 
Smithsonian reseracher and intern Lindsey Gentry, left, works with a colleague to collect a slime sample from the skin of a mossy frog.
Apr. 17, 2023
The sliminess on amphibians is more than just goop—it’s how these animals survive. A scientist and intern from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for...
Apr. 17, 2023
There's plenty to see this summer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Check out five amazing things you won’t want to miss during your next visit.
Apr. 14, 2023
Focus on the Future is a series that seeks to highlight the early career scientists who conduct research at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Apr. 13, 2023
Focus on the Future is a series that seeks to highlight the early career scientists who conduct research at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Learn about...
Apr. 07, 2023
At Lemur Island, school is always in session for our ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed residents. Learn how primate keeper Lynne McMahan has trained the lemurs to voluntarily participate in...
Southern lesser galago brothers Mopani (left) and Damara (right) eat from a food pan.
Apr. 07, 2023
What animal can rotate its head 180 degrees, has ears that function like satellites and marks its territory (and members of its social group) with urine? Meet our southern lesser galago brothers,...
Andean bear cubs Ian and Sean explore a rock in their outdoor yard.
Apr. 06, 2023
Our Andean bear cubs have moved into the outdoor yard! Animal keeper Sara Colandrea describes how they're learning to explore their new home for the first time.
The Bird House entrance invokes the slate gray and rusty brown plumage of the sandhill crane, which visitors can see on the Plateau.
Apr. 05, 2023
On March 30, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Zoo Neighborhood Council (ZNC) held its first meeting of 2023. 
komodo dragon
Apr. 03, 2023
Thanks to their thick skin, strong claws, sharp teeth, and painful bite, Komodo dragons are NOT an animal you'd want to mess with.
A keeper holds two armadillo pups with a white-gloved hand.
Apr. 01, 2023
Scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute made a breakthrough in the recreation of glyptodon, a prehistoric giant armadillo that went extinct nearly 11,000 years...
A southern two-toed sloth with coarse fur, long limbs and curved claws hangs upside-down from a tree branch.
Mar. 27, 2023
Here's why eating poop can sometimes be good for animal health—and how the practice is even becoming an important part of human and animal medicine.
Andean bear mother Brienne and her 4-month-old cub explore their outdoor habitat on March 22, 2023.
Mar. 27, 2023
Just in time for spring break, two male Andean bear cubs named Sean and Ian are now on view.
Mar. 24, 2023
Two male Andean bear cubs make their outdoor debut March 27, 2023.
Western lowland gorilla Calaya explores her outdoor habitat.
Mar. 23, 2023
Primate staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington, D.C., are making preparations for the highly anticipated birth of a critically endangered...
Mar. 15, 2023
Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, delivered these remarks at the Eleanor Holmes Norton Town Hall event on March 15,...