News Archive

Forget two turtle doves—we've got two bearing bears! Our 18-year-old sloth bear Hana gave birth to a single cub around 8:30 a.m. on December 19, 2012—which happens to be her birthday, too! Animal care staff are keeping a close watch on the cub through a closed-circuit TV camera, and it appears both...

Check out these reindeer facts from Don Moore, an animal behaviorist, wildlife biologist and educator with the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is celebrating the birth of two Andean bear cubs born overnight to 6-year-old Billie Jean. The first cub was born around 12:01 a.m. and the second at 2:02 a.m. These two cubs were sired by Nikki, who was humanely euthanized in August. This species has a high mortality...

Human—elephant conflict in Sri Lanka kills more than 70 humans and 200 Asian elephants every year. One of the most common tools in combating these conflicts is moving the elephants into ranges away from humans, often into national parks. This is done in hopes of avoiding problems that include...

Let me start by thanking everyone on behalf the staff here at Great Cats for the outpouring of sympathy and kind wishes we received on the loss of our girl, Soyono. You made a very difficult time much easier to bear and we appreciate it more than we can say. We had the opportunity to spoil her...

Human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka kills more than 70 humans and 200 Asian elephants every year. One of the most common tools in combating these conflicts is moving the elephants into ranges away from humans, often into national parks. This is done in hopes of avoiding problems that include...

As the world celebrated the pregnancy news from Buckingham Palace earlier in the week, staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo were making preparations for their own highly anticipated birth: Andean bear cubs. Zoo veterinarians have conducted weekly ultrasounds since Nov. 6 on 6-year-old Billie Jean...

The Speedwell Foundation Conservation Carousel—one of the only solar-powered carousels in the world—is now open at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. The carousel, made possible by the Speedwell Foundation, features hand-carved and hand-painted animals and has a net-zero impact on the Zoo's energy...

Veterinary staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo humanely euthanized a 19-year-old female Sumatran tiger, Soyono, this morning. A final pathology report may provide more information, but her health had been in decline for several weeks. In early October, Soyono—affectionately known as Soy—began to...

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a succulent roasted turkey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that consumers cook and eat more than 45 million turkeys every Thanksgiving. Very few Americans, however, know much about the difference between their gravy-smothered poultry and the...

Longtime followers of the tigers here at National Zoo are familiar with Soyono. She is our older female Sumatran tiger, and for years she and her mate Rokan formed our breeding pair. Soyono was born here in Washington in June of 1993 and has spent all of her long life here, becoming the oldest...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and collaborators have found that the island scrub-jay's population on Santa Cruz Island—its only habitat—is significantly smaller than previously believed and that it is therefore at greater risk of extinction.

For clouded leopards, home is where the height is. After more than 30 years of studying clouded leopards, Zoo scientists have solved many puzzles about this perplexing species, starting with the biggest: figuring out just what a clouded leopard wants out of its habitat. It turns out that clouded...

ZooLights—powered by Pepco—at the Smithsonian's National Zoo is wilder than ever this year and a perfect holiday event for everyone in the family! The annual lights festival, hosted by Friends of the National Zoo, is 25 nights—longer than it has ever been in its six-year history—and it is free!

The newest additions at the Reptile Discovery Center at the Smithsonian's National Zoo were a surprise even to the keepers: eight tentacled snakes, born Oct. 21 to parents that have not produced viable young in the four years the Zoo has had them, despite breeding attempts. Tentacled snakes are...

Every year more than 4 million people enjoy the popular Appalachian Trail, which extends from Maine to Georgia and is surrounded by forests as well as agricultural and residential development. However, just as humans depend on the land, so, too, does the native wildlife. With the help of citizen...

Every year more than 4 million people enjoy the popular Appalachian Trail, which extends from Maine to Georgia and is surrounded by forests as well as agricultural and residential development. However, just as humans depend on the land, so, too, does the native wildlife. With the help of citizen...

Coral reefs around the world are being impacted at an alarming rate. Globally, coral reefs face rising ocean temperatures and resulting ocean acidification. Locally, reefs face many other threats from tourism to building runoff, further compounding their degradation. In the very near future, many...

Hurricane Sandy has come and gone here and the cats and keepers weathered the storm with no problems. On Sunday, the day before the rain started, we cleaned out gutters and drains, raked leaves, and placed sandbags at the doors. While we certainly got a lot of rain, it did not come all at once as it...

Do you wonder what the world looks like from an animal's point of view? While visiting a zoo, have you ever looked at an object placed in an exhibit, a log or toy, for instance, and wondered why it was there? An exhibit's design is carefully and deliberately planned, not only to ensure the comfort...

For 9 years we have monitored the small mammals and migratory birds in 12 areas, 6 of which were fenced to exclude deer. As the profile of under story characteristics changes, it may serve as an indicator for the potential of vertebrate species to live in these forests. Managing for deer may serve...

A team of scientists and keepers is traveling all over the eastern United States this year to study a unique and amazing animal: the hellbender. The hellbender ( Cryptobranchus alleganiesis) is a the largest salamander in North America, third largest in the world behind the Chinese and Japanese...

Last month, the Smithsonian's National Zoo celebrated the birth of its sprightly male dama gazelle calf, born Sept. 4 to mother Fahima. Five weeks later, three-year-old Zafirah gave birth to a female calf in the early morning Oct. 13, bringing the Zoo's dama gazelle herd to seven individuals. Raul...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and George Mason University formalized a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Oct. 26 aimed at coordinating and fostering the professional training, career development and youth education for...

Media Only: Devin Murphy 202-633-3055 TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Boo at the Zoo Kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 WHAT: Boo at the Zoo WHEN:Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Oct. 26-28, 2012 5:30-8:30 p.m. WHERE: Smithsonian's National Zoo, Washington, D.C. 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20008 WHO...