News

It’s no trick, only the sweetest treat: Boo at the Zoo, sponsored by Mars Wrigley Confectionery, is back! The Zoo will be brimming with festive displays and spook-tacular trick-or-treating for this special ticketed event.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) will celebrate its three giant pandas before the bears depart for China later this year. Visitors are invited to join the Panda Palooza, a nine-day onsite and online series of events.

Earlier this summer, the Zoo welcomed Basil, a Virginia opossum (also known as a North American opossum) to the Small Mammal House. Get to know Basil in our new feature, written by animal keeper Mimi Nowlin!

Are you an extreme panda fan? Try not to get bamboo-zled by this hardcore quiz!

Our western lowland gorilla infant hasn't quite figured out how to crawl—but she's getting close! Read the latest #GorillaStory update from primate keeper Francesca Bozzo.

The Zoo was temporarily closed due to a bomb threat on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

With their big ears, wide eyes and furry paws, sand cats may look adorable… but they’re quite tough! Sand cats are the only members of the cat family that live exclusively in desert environments. Get to know these hardy felines in this Q&A.

Asia Trail keepers celebrated giant panda Tian Tian’s 26th birthday with a special panda-friendly fruitsicle cake.

Roads can be a dangerous challenge for terrestrial and arboreal wildlife. One scientist is trying to change that.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) researchers have achieved a breakthrough in the fight to save the world’s coral reefs from climate change annihilation.

Meet four Kids’ Farm residents who are goat-ally cute and curious! One-year-old sisters Betty and Wilma—and 8-year-old sisters Fiesta and Fedora—are the Zoo’s resident Nigerian dwarf goats.

This morning, Asia Trail keepers celebrated giant panda Xiao Qi Ji’s third birthday at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat.

Our newest litter of black-footed ferrets is growing up fast. Find out what it takes to care for two-month-old black-footed ferrets in this Q&A with biologist Adrienne Crosier.

After a potentially deadly injury, one endangered wild horse got a new lease on life thanks to the Smithsonian's veterinary team.

Try not to get 'swamped' with these bite-sized facts about American alligators and their crocodilian cousins.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo will celebrate "miracle cub" Xiao Qi Ji's 3rd birthday on Monday, Aug. 21.

They’re spunky, opinionated and enjoy splashing in a cool pool on a hot summer day. Who are these playful pachyderms? Our Asian elephants, Trong Nhi and Nhi Linh! Get to know their personalities and quirks from Elephant Trails keepers Rebecca Riley and Ashley Fortner.

New research shows limitations to recovery without consistent conservation efforts.

Our 2-month-old western lowland gorilla infant, Zahra, is very curious about the world around her. Get the latest #GorillaStory update from primate keeper Carolina Powell.

Even lions have to go to the doctor! Luckily for our lioness Shera, that just involves a short ride to our on-site veterinary hospital in a new, state-of-the art veterinary ambulance.

An unseasonably strong storm in fall 2022 stirred up some romance between two Panamanian golden frogs. Now, Reptile Discovery Center keepers are caring for more than 400 of the couple’s golden-hued hatchlings!

There's a new species at the Bird House! Animal keeper Stacy Hill gives us the rundown on the clapper rail.

Why is giant panda Mei Xiang sleeping for longer periods, eating less and denning? After going into estrus this spring, months later, she's experiencing a pseudopregnancy—even though she did not breed! Learn more from curator Michael Brown-Palsgrove.

From scorching deserts to freezing oceans, birds have developed incredible methods for regulating their body temperatures.

In this Focus on the Future, learn how Juliana Vélez Gómez created wildlife friendly practices that benefited Colombian ranchers, while providing new opportunities for young women in science.