News Archive

What does the world outside the cheetah cubs’ den look like? Keeper Amber Dedrick offers a look at the world beyond the webcam's view. 

The Zoo cares for five female Asian elephants from a few different family groups. Luckily, there are a few things that keepers can do to encourage them to build positive relationships. Learn more in this update from keeper Kayleigh Sullivan.

It's bamboo shoot season, and the Zoo's giant pandas and red pandas are indulging in their favorite food! 

Mother’s Day was extra special for carnivore keepers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia, who welcomed the year’s first litter of black-footed ferret kits Sunday. Two-year-old female Potpie gave birth throughout the morning May 10 to six kits. Staff are...

The cubs are back on the webcam, but bigger and with a bite! Read on for more.

Ungulate keepers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute are mourning the loss of two elderly American Bison, a male named Ten Bears and a female named Kicking Bird, who were humanely euthanized May 14. They were both 22 years old. 

Hot on the tailfeathers of a white-naped crane chick and two Guam kingfisher chicks, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s bird team celebrated the arrival of yet another rare resident—a brown kiwi! 

Now more than ever, raising awareness about the plight of migratory birds is key to their survival. At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, we are in the midst of completely transforming our beloved Bird House from its humble foundation (circa 1928) into a celebration...

Asia Trail keepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo are mourning the loss of Remi, a 6-year-old female sloth bear who was humanely euthanized May 2, following a foot wound that was not healing despite medical treatment.

This World Migratory Bird Day, May 9, I hope we see record engagement in birdwatching.

Migratory birds are now flooding across the continent as they return to their nesting grounds this spring. World Migratory Bird Day is on May 9, 2020, as people around the globe welcome birds back—and lend them a helping hand.

Bird keepers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute are celebrating the arrival of two Guam kingfisher chicks that hatched April 21 and 23. They are the first offspring for 11-month-old father Animu and 2-year-old mother Giha.

Things are hop-penning at Small Mammal House! On Jan. 24, a wallaby joey popped its head out of mom Victoria’s pouch. Get the scoop on the young joey from animal keeper Esther Wray.

From the arrival of adorable chicks to award-winning excellence in animal care, much is brewing behind the scenes at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. 

Chirping cheetah cubs, a birthday party fit for a gorilla and a Madagascar hedgehog tenrec indulging in some self-care with a dust bath—all of these events (and more) made for an eventful month. 

For the past two years, the primate team has had the privilege of sharing the story of our western lowland gorilla infant, Moke, with Smithsonian’s National Zoo fans all over the world. With Mother’s Day coming up May 10, primate keeper Carolina Powell highlights Moke’s very first friend—his mom...

New research from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and Shenandoah National Park finds that invasive species of forest insects and pathogens contributed to about a quarter of the tree deaths in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountain forests in the past three decades.

In this week’s #cubdate, we take you behind the scenes at a cub weighing! 

Landscape ecologist Hila Shamon lives and works in Montana, where she studies the prairie and its wildlife. Over the last year and a half, she has been working with Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and other collaborators to develop a swift fox reintroduction program.

It was a busy week for Echo’s cheetah cubs! Not only did Echo move them to a new den, but keepers were able to weigh the cubs and determine their sex.

Join the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center online this World Migratory Bird Day, May 9, in a digital celebration of birds and simple actions you can take from home to help save them.

There are only 135 Guam kingfishers in the world, but scientists around the world are working to change that by breeding the species for release in the near future.

Each year, more than 1,400 volunteers donate over 90,000 hours of their time to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. We appreciate them every single day, but this week, National Volunteer Week, is an especially great time to recognize their dedication.

As the primate team celebrates Moke's second birthday, keeper Alex Reddy reflects on the western lowland gorilla's growing independence, bold personality and training triumphs. 

Today was a big day for keepers and cheetah cubs alike. For the first time, keepers were able to approach the four cubs born April 8. Learn more in this Q&A with cheetah biologist Adrienne Crosier.