A ring-tailed lemur exploring an Easter-themed enrichment bag.

Coming Soon: Easter Monday

Join us for a wild and egg-citing celebration at the Smithsonian National Zoo's Easter Monday event on April 1st! 

An addax calf walks through the Africa Trail habitat. Addax are stocky, sturdy antelopes with short, slender legs and short tails. The calf has two small horns on the top of her head. She has a tan coat and white facial blazes that resemble an ‘x’ running between her eyes.

Meet Our Addax Calf

The Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a baby addaxa critically endangered species of antelope. The one-month-old calf recently made her public debut alongside her parents on the Africa Trail!

#GorillaStory: I'll Have What Mom's Having

At 10 months old, western lowland gorilla Zahra is healthy, feisty and eager to try new things! Get the latest update from Primates keeper Lynne McMahan.

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LATEST NEWS

March 07, 2024

The Hidden Life of Vernal Pools

Spring has arrived, and vernal pools are surging with life. Learn what makes these temporary wetlands ideal for wood frogs, spotted salamanders and other woodland species.

February 28, 2024

Focus on the Future: James Mouton

For ornithologist James Mouton, his "clear-cut" scientific career took a detour when he chose to join the military. But his non-traditional path shows there's more than one way to conserve...

February 21, 2024

Restoring Scimitar-horned Oryx

Twenty-three years after being declared “extinct in the wild”, the scimitar-horned oryx has made a remarkable comeback. Smithsonian ecologist Katherine Mertes shares how the species reached the turning point.

February 18, 2024

Meet Our Ruddy Quail Dove Squab

Our Bird House team is celebrating the arrival of a ruddy quail dove squab—the first of its species to hatch at the Zoo!

February 13, 2024

Zoo Vets Solve Cardiac Conundrum

One tamandua at the Zoo has a new piece of tech helping him to stay healthy, after what is believed to be a first in veterinary medicine.

February 09, 2024

A Beaver Love Story

When it comes to love, leave it to the beavers! Get the story of Aspen and Juniper’s rocky romance from American Trail keeper Jackie Spicer.

February 05, 2024

Help Name Cotton-Top Tamarins

Starting Feb. 5, the public will have an opportunity to vote on names for two cotton-top tamarin sisters.

January 31, 2024

White-Naped Crane "Walnut" Dies

NZCBI staff in Front Royal, Virginia, are mourning the loss of Walnut, a white-naped crane who became an internet sensation for choosing one of her keepers as her mate.

Live Streaming Webcams

See cheetahs, elephants, lions and naked mole-rats on animal cams streaming live, 24/7 from the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.