News Archive

The female bobcat, Ollie, who escaped from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo yesterday has not returned to her enclosure. The Zoo received several calls from the public overnight with consistent information indicating she may be in the Zoo’s adjacent Woodley/Cleveland Park neighborhoods. Early this...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo reports that a female bobcat, Ollie, has escaped her enclosure. There is no imminent danger to Zoo guests or general public. Bobcats are not known to be aggressive to humans. If spotted, call 202-633-7362.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s American Trail team is celebrating the arrival of a female gray seal pup, born Jan. 21 at 12:43 a.m. to mother Kara.

A geriatric black-footed ferret named Capone was humanely euthanized Jan. 19 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI). He was seven years old.

Where and when will the next global health crisis occur? As part of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threat program, PREDICT, scientists in Smithsonian’s Global Health Program are on the ground in Myanmar, training local wildlife biologists on how to answer that very question.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientist Michael Power and primate keeper Erin Stromberg discuss the science behind great ape milk in this Q & A.

When the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Piedmont grasslands thaw from winter’s frost and transform with spring’s arrival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) researchers and citizen scientists travel the region in pursuit of pollinators and other wildlife. As part of the Virginia...

Join the Smithsonian’s National Zoo for “Bye Bye, Bao Bao,” a series of online and on-site celebratory events to bid a fond farewell to giant panda Bao Bao (BOW-BOW) before she departs for China.

Tracking pacific loons from two breeding populations in Alaska.

Bei Bei is continuing to recover well from his major surgery, and he started eating small amounts of bamboo again a few weeks ago. He now gets several meals of leaf eater biscuits, sweet potatoes and apples, and several bamboo feedings every day. He eagerly consumes all his food—much as he has since...

How big does a “weeble-wobble” have to be to withstand the strength of six female Asian elephants? Over the fall 2016 semester, students at MICA, the Maryland Institute College of Art, sought to answer that question. Collaborating with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s animal care team, they designed...

Calaya is not like the Zoo’s other western lowland gorillas. For months, keepers tried to encourage Calaya to train and participate in enrichment activities to no avail. Then came an “AHA!” moment: Calaya learned best not solely through human interaction, but by observing the actions of the other...

The first three brown kiwi chicks to hatch from eggs laid and incubated at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) have received names. The male chicks are Hari (hatched May 10), Kaha (hatched June 1) and Kake (hatched July 31). In Maori their names translate to “joy,” “strong,” and...

As Bei Bei recovers from surgery, his diet is slowly returning to normal but he still needs to wait until he can eat bamboo. However, he continues to gain weight, and has crossed the 100-pound (45 kilos) mark. While Bei Bei continues his recovery, we have adjusted Mei Xiang’s schedule to ensure that...

Ancient DNA testing has proved the Arctic ground squirrel—believed to have been introduced to Alaska’s Chirikof Island in the early 18 th century—has actually been part of the island ecosystem for at least 2,000 years.

With temperatures dropping, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo continues to ensure that all of its animals are healthy and comfortable.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) and Wilson College have formed a partnership that will provide academic opportunities for Wilson students and help develop future generations of conservation professionals. SCBI and Wilson officials recently signed a memorandum of understanding...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is transforming its historic 1928 Bird House into “Experience Migration,” a state-of-the-art exhibition about one of the most spectacular stories in the natural world—the migration of birds in the Western Hemisphere. “Experience...

What has the Zoo’s 10-week-old Bornean orangutan, Redd, been up to? His social circle is expanding, says keeper Erin Stromberg, and his personality and curiosity are starting to develop! Get the latest on Redd and his mom, Batang, in the latest keeper Q&A.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s giant panda cub Bei Bei is stable and recovering following an emergency bowel obstruction surgery to remove a dense, masticated lemon-sized mass of bamboo.

Happy Orangutan Caring Week! We’re celebrating the Zoo’s seven orangutans by sharing their stories. Redd Update Here’s lookin’ at you, kid! At 8 weeks old, our Bornean orangutan Redd is alert, attentive and making eye contact with those around him. His social circle is expanding, too. Earlier this...