News

Mei Xiang has started putting the cub down for longer periods of time! Over the weekend and this morning when the keepers entered her den to continue their den-training routine, Mei placed the cub on the ground and focused on the keepers the entire time. She drank all the diluted apple juice keepers...

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) awarded National Zoo's Acting Curator of Birds Sara Hallager with three service awards at its recent national conference in Kansas City, MO. Hallager received two awards for 20 years of service in the role of AZA studbook keeper for the kori bustard as...

Our panda cub is 4 weeks old today — and what a difference a few weeks makes! Keepers say that it looks like she has eye markings shaped like Mei Xiang's and her back saddle is shaped like Tian Tian's. And she is growing exponentially. One of the keepers at her veterinary exam on Monday exclaimed...

Our energetic sloth bear cub Hank is nine months old today! He enjoys exploring on his own and testing the limits with Hana and his keepers, but he's not yet fully independent from mom.The duo continues to have long play sessions, followed by naps. Hank now weighs in at around 90 pounds, so even...

With the help of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, the Socorro dove has returned home to Mexico! This spring Africam Safari, a zoo located southeast of Mexico City, celebrated the arrival of several Socorro doves, including two hatched here at the National Zoo. This critically endangered species is...

The giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Aug. 23 received her first veterinary exam late yesterday Sept. 16 and was given a clean bill of health. Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), who has spent much of the past three and-a-half weeks cradling the cub, put her down and left her den at 4:11 p.m...

The giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Aug. 23 received her first veterinary exam late yesterday afternoon and was given a clean bill of health. Mei Xiang, who has spent much of the past three and a half weeks cradling her cub, put her down and left her den at 4:11 p.m. The panda...

As we mentioned last week Draco, one of our cheetahs, hasn't been eating and has been losing weight. As he isn't improving, the animal care team gave him a complete examination yesterday. During his examination, the team found that Draco was very thin, which reflects what animal care had observed...

Damai brings the cubs up to see Kavi most mornings now. Traveling around the building is a great way to develop their strength and coordination. We are even starting to see the cubs playing together. They are not very good at pouncing on each other yet, but it's a lot of fun to watch them try! They...

Regular Zoo visitors are probably familiar with the sight of our three cheetah brothers: Zabini, Granger, and Draco. One of the brothers, Draco, has never had a robust appetite. It's typical for cheetahs to lose weight in the spring and summer and to gain it again in the fall and winter. While he...

Mei Xiang and her cub are still doing well! Keepers and veterinarians expect that Mei will begin leaving her den for longer periods of time soon. When she does leave the den for longer periods of time keepers and veterinarians hope to be able to perform another health check on the cub. In the...

Hellbenders, aquatic salamanders from the eastern United States, are surprisingly good at dealing with unpredictable weather. In a recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute found that hellbenders can experience...

The Smithsonian's National Zoological Park has been awarded a five-year accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The accreditation certifies that the National Zoo has met or exceeded the AZA's standards for animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety. In the...

Mei Xiang and the cub continue to do well. Over the weekend, Mei left her den for a few minutes several times, once to get a drink of water. Keepers are starting to do some training with Mei Xiang in her den (as opposed to just feeding her) in an effort to facilitate our efforts to collect milk and...

The tiger cubs continue to thrive and are steadily gaining weight. Their coordination is improving as well, and they are exploring all five of the rooms that are available to them. The little girl came out into the runway yesterday afternoon and saw her mother Damai engage in a training session with...

The tiger cubs are one month old today. And Damai has moved them back into a den on the tiger cam!

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics confirmed that the giant panda cub born Aug. 23 at the National Zoo is female. A paternity analysis showed that the Zoo's panda Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN) is the cub's father. Scientists...

This morning, Mei Xiang was very alert when the panda keepers walked into her den and looked eager for her morning drink. She drank 64 ounces of water right away. She did turn down all offers of food (a frozen bamboo shoot and sugar cane). She seems to be enjoying her "den service!"

WHAT: The Smithsonian's National Zoo will announce the sex and paternity of the giant panda cub born at the National Zoo Aug. 23, and the second stillborn cub. WHO:Pierre Comizzoli, reproductive biologist Jesus Maldonado, research scientist Brandie Smith, senior curator of mammals and giant pandas...

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics confirmed that our giant panda cub is female! A paternity analysis showed that the Zoo's panda Tian Tian is the cub's father. Scientists also confirmed the second, stillborn cub Mei Xiang...

Last night at 6:15 p.m., Mei Xiang left her den. She climbed up the rockwork mountain in her adjoining exhibit, urinated, and returned to the den at 6:18. It's normal for bears not to eat, drink, urinate, or defecate much in the early days of raising a cub. This morning, she drank a little diluted...

Last night, Mei Xiang left her den at 10:37 p.m. to get a drink from the water in her enclosure for the first time since the cub was born. She drank for about two minutes before returning to the den and the cub. The panda team got a good look at the cub in the den and it looks great. You can see the...

The panda team offered Mei Xiang liquids and food this morning and evening. She was not interested in eating or drinking and remains very focused on her cub. She is an excellent mother. We get better visuals on the cub every day. It continues to look good, and today we got several good looks at its...

By Matt Neff, Animal Keeper at the Zoo’s Reptile Discovery Center When I started working at the Reptile Discovery Center late last year, I was lucky when I was asked if I’d be interested in helping with the Salamander Ambassador project. It rekindled the love for salamanders I’ve had since I was a...

This morning, the panda team offered Mei Xiang apple water, a bamboo smoothie, some bamboo, sugar cane and a pear. She was not interested in eating or drinking anything. Keepers are not worried about her lack of appetite: When she had Tai Shan, she did not eat anything until he was 16 days old, and...