News Archive

Asia Trail Curator Tony Barthel and keeper staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have determined the sex of a 3-month-old sloth bear cub: it's a boy! Keepers report that the cub is quite daring and adventurous; he will balance himself atop wobbly enrichment toys (such as logs and boomer balls) and...

This week's giant panda news features a behavior update from keeper, Nicole MacCorkle. Both Mei's and Tian's appetites have decreased a bit this week. Tian is bleating more at Mei (a high pitched contact call), and she is vocalizing back, although her vocalizations are anything but friendly. She...

The limosa harlequin frog ( Atelopus limosus), an endangered species native to Panama, now has a new lease on life. The Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project is successfully breeding the chevron-patterned form of the species in captivity for the first time. The rescue project is raising...

In keeping with the best practices for elephant management, the Zoo has invested in a state-of-the-art exhibit: Elephant Trails.

Have You HERD? Media Open House at the National Zoo's New Elephant Community Center WHAT: A media preview of the Elephant Community Center—the reopening of the 1930s Elephant House—featuring a new state-of-the-art indoor facility for the Zoo's elephants, including a much expanded sand area...

We are continuing to monitor Mei Xiang's hormone levels very closely, but her hormones are still at baseline. Once Mei Xiang's hormones begin to rise we will know that she has entered estrus. Though she is still in the pre-estrus phase, Mei has started showing increased activity and we have noticed...

By Budhan Pukazhenthi, SCBI Scientist The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened species, often considered the world authority on wildlife populations, lists African lions as vulnerable. “Vulnerable” is a classification that is not as extreme as “endangered,”...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is mourning the loss of a 16-year-old female maned wolf named Diamantina, who died March 8. A final pathology report will provide more information in the coming weeks. The median life expectancy of a wild maned wolf is usually about 13 years; for a zoo wolf, that...

Dr. Pierre Comizzoli is a reproductive cryobiologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. In this giant panda update he explains how the Zoo stores semen for endagered wildlife, which can be used for procedures like an artificial insemination. The team of people at the Zoo who study...

As we continue our Elephant Trails photo blog series, our next stop is their house. These photos of Elephant Trails would not be complete without a view of our elephant's indoor living areas. A camera and ladder are helping us to capture every area from an elephant's point of view. Since Shanthi...

Figuring out the sex of a porcupine can be a difficult task. They aren't always easy to handle, and when they are young they show no sexual dimorphism. But veterinarians, geneticists, and keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have figured out a novel and easy way to determine the sex of...

In 2008 the Smithsonian, along with the World Bank, the World Wildlife Foundation, the Global Environmental Facility founded the Global Tiger Initiative. The Global Tiger Initiative is a platform that helps all 13 current tiger range countries develop their own national tiger recovery program. In...

In addition to the research Zoo scientists and their Chinese colleagues conduct on giant pandas, they also study red pandas. In this update Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer, lead veterinarian at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Department of Conservation Medicine, writes about the research...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Washingtonian magazine are asking kids for help in welcoming the Zoo's elephants to their new Elephant Community Center. Elementary school-aged students in the Washington, D.C., metro area are invited to write letters to the elephants on one of the following topics...

Dr. Copper Aitken-Palmer is the lead veterinarian at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Department of Conservation Medicine. In the past few months she and other Zoo scientists have traveled to China for different giant panda conservation initatives. Below she writes about some of...

Well the bad news is that Damai was not pregnant as a result of the single breeding during her last heat. The good news is Kavi and Damai have really improved their skill set when it comes to procreation! We had been keeping our fingers crossed after their last attempt but were not too disappointed...

The eight-week-old Andean bear cubs at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's received a clean bill of health today from the Zoo veterinarians. The veterinary team performed a complete physical exam Feb. 20, which included listening to the cubs' hearts and lungs; checking their mouth, eyes, legs, feet and...

Over the next few months we'll be bringing you giant panda updates that will focus on Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, and the research Zoo scientists conduct related to giant pandas around the world. You'll be hearing from many different experts at the Zoo and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute...

Are bird bills simply for eating or do they play a role in mating?

We're so glad you're enjoying watching our bear cub cams, both Andean and sloth! We're thrilled to be able to share this experience with you. Very few people have ever gotten to observe maternal behavior and cub development in these early weeks and months in the den, so this experience is as...

It's clear from watching the Sloth Bear Cam that this little cub has a lot of personality—just like Hana! It's not unusual to see the two playing: she will roll on her back and hug the cub, paw at him/her, and exhibit a "play face" (her mouth is open and her lower lip is loose rather than taut). At...

Seven days and counting. . . If you're a panda fan or if you know a panda fan—we have the perfect Valentine's Day gift for you! Send a giant panda Critter Cupid — complete with a special video featuring Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and one of our panda keepers! In the video, Juan tells the story of Mei and...

This Valentine's Day, the Smithsonian's National Zoo is offering valentines a unique way to show their love for their family and friends. For less than a card and a box of chocolates ($10), anyone can send an electronic Critter Cupid to someone special in his or her life—a friend, child, parent...

The Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP) is dedicated to providing a healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining population of Western Lowland gorillas in zoos across the United States. One goal of the Gorilla SSP is to maintain gorillas in species typical groupings, either as a troop consisting...

Hana and the cub continue to do well! Keepers are seeing the cub sit up more but it still hasn't tried to climb onto Hana's back. Hana leaves the den more frequently and eats small snacks on a daily basis, but she still spends the majority of her time in the den with the cub. We occasionally see...