News

This update was written by elephant keeper Kayleigh Sullivan.  It has been almost a week since Asian elephant Spike arrived at the Elephant Trails habitat. Since then, he has made himself right at home!

Smithsonian scientists and partners have developed a mathematical model to help understand why certain landscapes are especially vulnerable to losing their forests and the species that rely on them, while others are more resilient.

Primate keeper Melba Brown discusses nutrition for pregnant western lowland gorilla, Calaya, and the significant role of milk for her infant.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo community is celebrating the arrival of a 36-year-old male Asian elephant named Spike.

Get the answers to your most internet-searched questions about gray wolves, such as "Why do gray wolves howl at the moon?" Hint: they don't!

The beginning of March was a whirlwind at the Giant Panda Habitat. Mei Xiang finally went into peak estrus March 1 after the panda team had been monitoring her and Tian Tian 24-hours-a-day for nearly a week. There is always a lot of activity around the panda house when Mei Xiang is approaching peak...

In November 2017, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center postdoctoral fellow Alex Jahn traveled to southern Brazil to study the migration of snail kites with Brazilian colleagues at Taim Ecological Station.

Senior Scientist and Head of the Center for Species Survival at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute David Wildt has been chosen to receive the 2017 Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award in the Sciences.

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have found that poaching is an emerging crisis for Asian elephants in Myanmar. They published their findings March 13 in PLOS ONE.

A well-known prehensile-tailed porcupine named Clark died March 7 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Clark had developed intermittent wheezing and a suspected upper-respiratory tract infection earlier this year that did not completely improve with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment.

In a new study almost 20 years in the making, Smithsonian researchers and partners report some of the strongest evidence yet of the phenomenon of speciation reversal in two lineages of common ravens.

Get the answers to your most internet-searched questions about orangutans.

Caring for creatures that live in the sea, on land and in the sky is a fun challenge for the dedicated team of animal keepers. Go behind the scenes to learn how they provide enriching environments and experiences for the animals in their care.

Expectant animal mothers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo often undergo maternal training to ensure that they are successful parents to their new offspring. In addition to training the mothers-to-be, animal keepers frequently train a “foster mom” in the event that a mother is unwilling or unable to...

Tentacled snakes are masters of hiding in plain sight. This species is so stealthy that Reptile Discovery Center staff were surprised to discover three babies in their exhibit last December. What makes this aquatic snake so unique? In this Q&A, animal keeper Erin Stewart shares some of her favorite...

A team of reproductive scientists, veterinarians and panda keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute performed an artificial insemination on giant panda Mei Xiang.

Visitors may have noticed that 12-year-old African lion Luke has had an on-again, off-again limp. As part of his treatment, the veterinary team is performing deep-tissue laser therapy, electroacupuncture and dry-needle acupuncture on the affected areas.

Family dynamics and relationships can be complicated, even among gorillas. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Great Ape House is home to two groups—called troops—of western lowland gorillas. When deciding to introduce gorillas into a troop, animal care staff carefully consider each individual’s age...

Four maned wolf pups were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Dec. 23, 2017. During much of their first weeks they were nestled in a den but are now exploring more areas of their yard. 

Keepers have noticed some dramatic changes in Mei Xiang and Tian Tian’s behavior during the past several days. On Saturday, Feb. 17, Mei Xiang started showing behavioral changes that indicate she may be going into estrus within the next few weeks.

Giant panda Bei Bei celebrated the Lunar New Year with some special Year of the Dog enrichment! 

Primate keeper Melba Brown trained the Zoo’s pregnant western lowland gorilla, Calaya, to participate in ultrasounds. 

Congrats and best wishes from our wild and furry team to Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea!

The future of rhinos could depend on their DNA. Scientists In collaboration with researchers in the United States, South Africa and Russia, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientist Klaus-Peter Koepfli has helped to pioneer new technology to save some of the most poached animals on our...

When it comes to caring for babies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, it takes a village.

For western lowland gorilla Calaya, her village of support is the great ape animal care team and her primary keeper, Melba Brown. Every day, keepers use positive reinforcement training to teach the gorillas...