News

WHAT:Four 9-week-old African lion cubs will take a swim reliability test (weather permitting) prior to their public debut in June. Following the swim test, two 14-week-old lion cubs will venture into a nearby exhibit as part of their yard introduction process. The older litter will debut to the...

Asian elephants Kamala (39), Swarna (39) and Maharani (23) arrived safely at the Smithsonian's National Zoo on May 23, 2014. They are on loan from the Calgary Zoo in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and will join the Zoo's herd of four Asian elephants Ambika (66), Shanthi (39), Bozie (38) and Kandula (12)...

The lion cubs are all doing quite well! Naba's girls weigh about 30 pounds now, and Shera's cubs range from 19 to 20.5 pounds. Shera's cub that had the limp is showing great improvement. His limp is very slight, and his blood-work came back normal this week. In fact, he seems to be outcompeting his...

A six-year-old male brown kiwi named Koa died during the weekend at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. He had not exhibited any warning signs of clinical illness and was found dead in his exhibit unexpectedly the morning of April 26 at the Bird House. As is standard procedure a necropsy, or animal...

Sumatran Tiger cubs Bandar and Sukacita turn nine months old on May 5—how time flies! One sign that they are making the transition from cubs to sub-adults is that both have started to lose their "baby" incisor teeth. Their adult fangs will take a few months to grow out. It's all a part of growing up...

This update was written by animal keeper Kristen Clark. Today, the cubs met face-to-face with Luke for the first time! Introductions are always tense the first time you do them, but we always try to base it on positive behaviors we've seen in the past and experiences we've had in the past. We've...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and National Zoo announced today, Earth Day, the launch of the Endangered Song Project, an analog-meets-digital awareness campaign that calls upon 400 participants to use their social media strength to spread the message that there are only 400 Sumatran...

It's been a busy few weeks at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat. Bao Bao is now going outside with Mei Xiang regularly in the morning. She has been busy exploring, and Smithsonian Channel captured her first attempt at climbing a tree. Now she climbs high in the trees in Mei Xiang's...

A sloth bear cub and a seal pup by any other name would still be as sweet, but our keepers chose the perfect names for them. Our sloth bear cub is named Remi and our seal pup is named Rona! Asia Trail keepers who have been hand-rearing our sloth bear cub chose the name Remi. The name is derived from...

The sloth bear cub born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Dec. 29 has been named Remi by the people who know her best--her keepers. They have been hand-rearing the cub 24 hours a day since a week after she was born, becoming her surrogate parents. Care for the cub has included ensuring that she...

We have an animal care update from our Great Cats team. Last week, one of our African lion cubs—a male born to Shera and Luke—had not gained as much weight as expected and was exhibiting some lameness in his right leg. The good news is that he has gained weight over the weekend! Although he...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is sad to report that Maude, a geriatric grey-cheeked mangabey, was humanely euthanized April 14. Maude well surpassed the typical lifespan (early 30s) of her species. She was 41 years old. Maude was born in the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Ind. Feb. 25, 1973, and...

Last week, keepers started introductions between Shera and Naba's cubs! Keepers watch these interactions closely in the event that the cubs need to be separated. Fortunately, everyone has been getting along fine. As part of the Zoo's animal management plan for big cats, African lions are weighed...

How mammals use coffee landscapes and what parameters are important to enhance their habitat.

An adult male Baltimore oriole is the newest addition to the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Bird House exhibit. He will serve as an ambassador to his wild cousins and teach Zoo visitors and researchers about the behaviors of this iconic species. Native to the New World, Baltimore orioles breed in...

Camera traps are scientists’ eyes in the wild–and SCBI scientist Tremaine Gregory has been looking up. She was looking nearly 100 feet up in to the canopy of the Peruvian rainforest to be exact. No camera traps had ever been placed that high. They will unobtrusively capture candid photos of arboreal...

It was an exciting day at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat! Bao Bao made her first excursion outside with Mei Xiang. Keepers said at first she was a little hesitant, but after a little reassurance from mom she wandered into the outdoor yard. Once outside Bao Bao was busy exploring...

Bao Bao may be exploring the great outdoors soon! Bao Bao will have access to her mother Mei Xiang's larger yard this week beginning each day around 8 a.m., weather depending. She will be given the option to explore outside with her mother if the temperature is at least 35 degrees Fahrenheit with no...

Seven-month-old Bao Bao will have access to her mother Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) larger yard this week beginning each day around 8 a.m., weather depending. Bao Bao will be given the option to explore outside with her mother if the temperature is at least 35 degrees Fahrenheit with no precipitation.

This Update Was Written By American Trail Keeper Chelsea Grubb. Where is the seal pup? Our seal pup has an entire holding pool to herself behind-the-scenes of American trail! She is neighbors with her mom (Kara), grandmother (Selkie), and aunt (Kjya). Although they are separated from the pup by a...

The decision for keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo to hand-raise a female sloth bear cub instead of leaving her with her mother Khali likely saved her life. She is now very active and growing as the result of the round-the-clock care she has received for the past two-and-a-half months. The...

The decision for keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo to hand-raise a female sloth bear cub instead of leaving her with her mother Khali likely saved her life. She is now very active and growing as the result of the round-the-clock care she has received for the past two-and-a-half months. The...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's 32-year-old female Przewalski's (Shah-VAL-skee) horse, Misha, was humanely euthanized March 12. Misha was one of three horses to arrive at SCBI in Front Royal, Va. in 1984 and the oldest Przewalski's horse in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums...

This update was written by keeper Nicole MacCorkle. Everyone here in the David M.Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat is eager for spring to finally arrive. Even the pandas seem less interested in the snow with each winter storm, spending less time playing in it than they did earlier in the winter...

The staff from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is celebrating the birth of three male dama gazelle calves. The calves were born between Febraury 18 and Febraury 25. At their 24-hour neonatal exam, the first calf weighed 11 pounds, and both the second and third calves weighed 12 pounds...