News

Through a creative collaboration, Smithsonian scientists are using historic collections and current conservation practices to bring back declining populations of grassland birds.

It looks like the angriest housecat you’ve ever seen, but it’s actually the Pallas’s cat: a small Asian wildcat known for its thick fur and unusual face.

How do you monitor disease in Asian elephants? By building their trust and teaching them to voluntarily participate in medical exams! Get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into caring for our herd.

A recently published study sheds light on the ecological importance of red-backed salamanders in the northeastern United States. The article, published in the journal Biology Letters, revealed the amphibians’ densities and biomass across the region were much higher than expected, with a great...

It’s no trick, only the sweetest treat: Boo at the Zoo, sponsored by Mars Wrigley Confectionery, and the Zoo’s 21+ spooktacular cocktail party, Night of the Living Zoo, are back at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C.

On the wings of last year’s award-winning baby boom, our Bird House team recently welcomed 27 chicks among seven duck and songbird species! Meet them in this update.

The ferret kits at our breeding facility in Front Royal, Va., just passed their 90-day health check with flying colors.

Check out our tips for having a good time at the Zoo.

With their warm golden-hued eyes, coats that camouflage them in the tree canopy and cheery “chuff” greetings—there’s no denying clouded leopards’ charisma. Get to know our cats!

August is Asian Elephant Awareness Month, and we’re celebrating with stories and fun facts about this endearing—and critically endangered—species.

Smithsonian scientists are exploring a radical effort to preserve and safeguard biological samples from important and at-risk species inside the cold craters of the Moon.

Small Mammal House keepers have confirmed the sexes of our 4-month-old pygmy slow loris babies. It’s a boy…and a girl!

Smithsonian ecologist Ellen Welti was awarded the Frontiers Planet Prize for her work on the halted recovery of European freshwater biodiversity.

A groundbreaking new initiative will address the question of how improvements in the environment and health are financed in 21st-century African landscapes.

In honor of National Zookeeper Week, we're recognizing some of the dedicated professionals who go above and beyond for the animals in our care!

Three fluffy feathered friends have joined the flock at our Front Royal, Virginia, campus: one whooping crane and two red-crowned crane chicks!

For the Zoo’s insect-eating residents, no meal is complete without live, nutrient-packed bugs.

Staff are mourning the loss of 19-year-old female California sea lion, who was euthanized June 27.

Each kit in the litter is currently gaining around 1% of its body weight per day. Watch them on our Black-footed Ferret Cam.

Recently, our Great Cats team bid farewell to African lion Amahle, who moved to another zoo to breed. Keeper Katy Juliano shares how Amahle's mother, Shera, is adjusting in this update.

A new study warns that increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere may decrease the nutrient contents of plants and could cause further population declines farther up the ecological chain.

In June, we're celebrating World Ocean Month! Learn about some of the amazing aspects of corals and how they shape our world.

In March, we celebrated two pygmy slow loris births! Now, the bright-eyed babies are getting braver and exploring their exhibit.

In May, our Small Mammal House team said goodbye to two beloved tamanduas: Manny and Cayenne.

Smithsonian graduate fellow Johnny Stutzman shares how mentors can mold a scientific career in our latest Focus on the Future.