News

Asian elephant Spike will receive a celebratory cake as he explores his new habitat in the Elephant Community Center at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Smithsonian scientists are part of an expanding global effort set to tackle what could be the most ambitious project in the history of biology—sequencing the DNA of all eukaryotic species on Earth, which includes all plants, animals, fungi and algae.

On Sunday, April 15, at 6:25 p.m., we welcomed our seventh western lowland gorilla at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

Get the latest scoop on Asian elephant Spike from animal keeper Amanda Bobyack.

Brown pelicans are a favorite of visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s American Trail exhibit. Yet, many zoogoers may not realize that these marine birds call the Chesapeake Bay home. Last summer, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center research ecologist Autumn-Lynn Harrison placed GPS tags on the...

As a wildlife veterinarian for the SCBI’s Global Health Program, Dr. Marc Valitutto was asked to visit and evaluate the Royal Takin Preserve in Thimpu, Bhutan, to help build their veterinary capacity, so they can best monitor the health of the takin in their care.

Over the last year, a record 91 cheetah cubs have been born at institutions affiliated with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Cheetah Species Survival Plan (SSP). In this Q&A, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) cheetah biologist and manager of the Cheetah SSP Adrienne Crosier...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and Clemson University scientists have found that poaching is an emerging crisis in Myanmar for Asian elephants.

On Sunday, April 15, western lowland gorilla Calaya gave birth! Calaya and her newborn son, Moke, are resting and bonding in the Great Ape House.

For the first time in nine years, primate staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are celebrating the birth of a male western lowland gorilla.

SMBC Director Pete Marra is the recipient of the American Ornithological Society’s prestigious Elliott Coues Award in recognition of his outstanding and innovative ornithological research.

Get the answers to some of the most-searched questions about the desert dwelling, big-eared fennec fox!

The Great Ape House is awaiting the arrival of its newest resident! Keepers have been watching western lowland gorilla Calaya’s sleep patterns, appetite and socialization, as any changes in her behavior may signal that birth is near.

In December 2017, Global Health Program wildlife veterinarian Dawn Zimmerman traveled to Rwanda and worked with the Gorilla Doctors for three weeks.

Get the scoop on the Zoo’s new 3-year-old sloth bear, Niko, from animal keeper Mindy Babitz.

Painting with alpacas, training miniature donkeys and hosting hands-on animal encounters. It’s all in a day’s work for animal keepers Nikki Maticic and John Taylor! Follow their story for a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a Kids’ Farm keeper.

As western lowland gorilla Calaya nears the end of her pregnancy, keepers at the Great Ape House are keeping a close watch on her, monitoring for any indication that she is in labor. Calaya is due to give birth anytime between now and early May.

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.