News Archive

Find comprehensive resources for media on the Giant Panda Program at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will celebrate 50 years of unprecedented achievement in the care, conservation, breeding and study of giant pandas April 16. Today is National Panda Day, a fitting start for the Zoo’s six-month-long celebration for its visitors and...

Enjoy these 50 facts about giant pandas in honor of the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Giant Panda 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Do snakes have ears? How well can they see? How do scales help them slither? Get the scoop on your friend, the snake, from Reptile Discovery Center keeper Robin Saunders!

Don’t be put off by Fofo’s prickly appearance! As his name implies, our prehensile-tailed porcupette is as “cute” as can be! Get to know Fofo in this Q+A with Small Mammal House keepers.

The cool new couple at Gibbon Ridge are smart, sweet and specialize in singing duets — meet siamangs Adi and Guntur!

With a seal of passion for pinnipeds, American Trail keeper Diana Vogel dives into how she cares for harbor seals!

We’ve answered some of the most-searched questions about ostriches to get you better acquainted with these big, flightless birds.

Earlier this week, giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji went treasure hunting in a tree for some fun puzzle feeder enrichment! Get the latest #PandaStory update from assistant curator Laurie Thompson. 

Say hello to our newly named cheetah cubs and don't miss an adorable video of Rosalie and the cubs purring and cleaning each other! Read on to find out what our cheetah family has been up to in this Cheetah Cubdate from Adrienne Crosier.

Bird House keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Alice, a female Stanley crane who died Jan. 28 during surgery to correct a limb deformity she had developed. She was 7 years old. 

We are sad to share that Betty, our “matriarch” flamingo, was found deceased in her habitat Jan. 25. At 67 years old, she was the oldest Caribbean flamingo in the North American population. 

Snake-necked turtles look like creatures from fantasy—they’re a little weird and a little whimsical, but they’re beautiful, too. Last October, our Reptile Discovery Center team welcomed four snake-necked turtle hatchlings, the species’ first offspring at the Zoo in 9 years. 

The countdown to the Guam kingfisher’s reintroduction to the wild has begun. Before these birds, also called siheks, can soar over the Palmyra Atoll, scientists need to determine which harness materials can carry a tracking device and stand the test of time. 

At around 8 feet tall, the newest resident at the Cheetah Conservation Station towers over her cheetah, red river hog and sitatunga neighbors. Meet Linda, a 4-year-old ostrich who arrived at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in November.

On Jan. 26, 2022, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo held a meeting with new Zoo Director Brandie Smith and the Zoo Neighborhood Council (ZNC). Detailed minutes of the meeting follow below.

A study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution found that widespread restoration of bison to Tribal lands throughout the Northern Great Plains can help restore the prairie ecosystem while improving the long-running issue of food insecurity and food sovereignty for Native Nations and may...

Use your tiger eyes to see what it takes to care for the largest cat in the world and 2022’s Lunar New Year animal: the tiger! Get a peek inside the world of animal keeper and real-life Zoo Guardian Dell Guglielmo, who cares for the Zoo's three tigers.

Snowfall fun and sugar cane snacks made January an eventful month for giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji! Get the latest #PandaStory update from assistant curator Laurie Thompson. 

The verdict is in on our 14-week-old cheetah cubs’ first snow experience! Plus, get the latest dish on Rosalie's cubs' newest enrichment and husbandry training experiences. Read on for a full cubdate from cheetah biologist Adrienne Crosier.

Lookin’ sharp, kid! Prehensile-tailed porcupines Beatrix and Quillbur recently welcomed their second offspring.

How do you measure a year of giant panda cub cuteness? Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji — the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s “little miracle” — gives all who follow his #PandaStory a reason to smile. Look back at his sweet snuggles, playful pounces and adorable adventures as we recap our favorite cub videos of...

On Oct. 7, the Small Mammal House team celebrated the arrival of golden-headed lion tamarin twins! They are the first of their endangered species born at the Zoo in 16 years. Get to know the mischievous and curious babies from keepers Mimi Nowlin and Maria Montgomery. 

The Smithsonian is preparing for unprecedented staff shortages in the coming weeks due to the surge in COVID-19 cases. To accommodate these shortages, the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., and the National Zoo will operate on a modified schedule from Wednesday, Jan. 5, through Monday, Jan. 17...

Rosalie's cubs got their 9-week-old checkup and received a clean bill of health!