News

Three chirps for our Bird House team! In recognition of their efforts to breed and care for North American songbirds, they received a Plume Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Avian Scientific Advisory Group.

Breeding season at the Bird House can create some spectacular behavior among the Zoo’s raucous flock of ducks.

At 10 months old, western lowland gorilla Zahra is healthy, feisty and eager to try new things. Get the latest update from Primates keeper Lynne McMahan.

Spring has arrived, and vernal pools are surging with life. Learn what makes these temporary wetlands ideal for wood frogs, spotted salamanders and other woodland species.

Three’s company, too! The morning of Jan. 26, Africa Trail staff reported for duty and discovered a female addax calf.

For ornithologist James Mouton, his "clear-cut" scientific career took a detour when he chose to join the military. But his non-traditional path shows there's more than one way to conserve wildlife.

Twenty-three years after being declared “extinct in the wild”, the scimitar-horned oryx has made a remarkable comeback. Smithsonian ecologist Katherine Mertes shares how the species reached the turning point.

Our Bird House team is celebrating the arrival of a ruddy quail dove squab—the first of its species to hatch at the Zoo!

One tamandua at the Zoo has a new piece of tech helping him to stay healthy, after what is believed to be a first in veterinary medicine.

When it comes to love, leave it to the beavers! Get the story of Aspen and Juniper’s rocky romance from American Trail keeper Jackie Spicer.

Leimgruber has more than 25 years of experience in developing and managing international conservation programs and partnerships.

Starting Feb. 5, the public will have an opportunity to vote on names for two cotton-top tamarin sisters.

NZCBI staff in Front Royal, Virginia, are mourning the loss of Walnut, a white-naped crane who became an internet sensation for choosing one of her keepers as her mate.

When Echo's five cubs were born last fall, their exact parentage was a mystery. A genetic analysis conducted by Smithsonian scientists revealed the truth.

Few animals are as regarded—and feared—as the largest carnivores of the African savannah. But how much do you really know about lions?

Since her birth last May, our baby western lowland gorilla, Zahra, has grown and changed so much. Read the latest #GorillaStory update from keeper Carly Hornberger.

Every Zoo animal receives special care, but some need a little extra support to keep them healthy and active.

When a death occurs unexpectedly, the Zoo’s animal pathologists, like Kali Holder, step up to determine why and how.

For the first time since 2018, the Zoo’s naked mole rat colony is without a queen. Kenton Kerns, assistant curator of the Small Mammal House, explains how the wrinkled rodents are adapting to the change.

Smithsonian scientists discuss the impact of the first federal law designed to save endangered and imperiled animals from extinction.

When you’re making a list and checking it twice for winter-time activities in Washington, D.C., consider planning a trip to the Zoo. The cooler months can be the perfect time to see your favorite animals without the crowds.

Our male Asian elephant, Spike, looks a little different. The 42-year-old bull recently underwent a routine tusk trim! Get the story from curator Tony Barthel.

Our 7-month-old Western lowland gorilla Zahra is becoming quite the independent little lady... as long as she's not too busy stealing food from her mother!

The American Trail welcomes California sea lion Nick to the herd, as he makes his splashy debut!

In 2004, the United States Congress designated Dec. 13 to be “National Day of the Horse” - an opportunity to recognize the outsized role domesticated horses have played in human history. But for this year’s Day of the Horse, we’re taking a different tack, if you will, to recognize the Przewalski’s...