Visitors: The giant panda house is closed to provide Mei Xiang with a quiet environment. She is showing sensitivity to noise, which is consistent with the final stages of a pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. The best time to see the giant pandas outside is before 9:30 a.m. and at the 1:30 p.m. animal demonstration.
Field in Focus is a video series that brings you into the field with Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute's scientists working to save species around the globe. Featured in this year's festival will be "Field in Focus: Predicting Pandemics" and "Field in Focus: Saving Elephants in Myanmar."
The films will be screened in the Zoo's Visitor Center Auditorium, and a panel discussion with filmmaker Roshan Patel and several scientists will follow.
Field in Focus: Predicting Pandemics (2 min.)
Smithsonian researchers partner with experts in Myanmar studying human and animal health to find out what diseases are present in wildlife and whether they could pose a threat to humans. This film shows how these scientists sample wildlife and work with communities to prevent the spread of disease.
Field in Focus: Saving Elephants in Myanmar
Part I: Tracking Elephants (4 min.)
Using satellite GPS collars, scientists are tracking the movements of Myanmar’s wild elephants to better understand how they use their habitat and to inform conservation efforts.
Part II: Human-elephant Conflict (5 min.)
Humans and elephants have coexisted in Asia for thousands of years, but how people interact with land and with elephants is changing. As a result, human-elephant conflict has becoming increasingly more common. Tracking elephant movement allows scientists to identify at-risk areas and develop strategies to minimize conflict.
Part III: Elephant Poaching (4 min.)
Research has revealed a recent and troubling rise in poaching for skin and meat, which may be the most urgent threat to Myanmar’s wild elephants. Follow the scientists and their partners as they respond to a poaching crime. WARNING: This video contains graphic images.
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The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital is the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films. Since 1993, its mission has been to celebrate Earth and inspire understanding and stewardship of the environment through the power of film.
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital is the largest environmental film festival in the world, presenting 100-plus films to audiences of more than 30,000. Filmmaker and topical discussions are an important part of the events which happen at museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theaters throughout the city. The Festival also presents a year-round screening series and community events. Learn more on the Festival's website.