Five-month-old Bornean orangutan Redd has sprouted four teeth! Get the latest scoop on the growing primate infant from animal keeper Elliott Rosenthal.
We’re celebrating the newest member of the Small Mammal House, a baby prehensile tailed porcupine, by taking a closer look at one of the species' defining characteristics—quills!
What does it mean when a Cayman Island blue iguana bobs his head? It could mean “stay away from my territory” or “let’s mate!” Check out the photo slideshow for some of keeper Kyle Miller’s favorite facts about this species.
On March 1, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the Nashville Zoo announced the birth of a male clouded leopard from an artificial insemination procedure using frozen/thawed semen. This accomplishment is a first for this species and a giant step for global...
Using new and minute technology, Smithsonian scientists have, for the first time ever, tracked one of North America’s rarest birds―the Kirtland’s warbler―throughout its full annual cycle, revealing new and critical information for the bird’s future.
At the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), our cheetah breeding program has been very successful since its beginnings eight years ago. The cheetah breeding facility is nine acres and it’s nestled away in a quiet area of SCBI. Cheetahs in particular breed more successfully in quiet...
Bao Bao, her keeper Marty Dearie and Dr. Katharine Hope landed at China’s Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport around 6:59 p.m. CST after a 16-hour direct flight aboard the “FedEx Panda Express,” a custom-decaled 777F aircraft.
Early this morning, wild, migratory black-crowned night herons were seen for the first time this year returning to their nesting colony near the Zoo's Bird House—their only rookery in Washington, D.C.
Bao Bao began her journey to China this morning. She departed the Smithsonian’s National Zoo at 10:35 for Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia where she will board a FedEx 777F plane bound for Chengdu, China.
At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, giant pandas sit in their habitat munching contentedly on bamboo shoots. But, consider that giant pandas—native to China—were once on the brink of extinction. And, if not for passionate and dedicated conservationists, the world may have been devoid of pandas.
Meet Sr. Victor Romeo Cobon My name is Victor Romeo Cobón. I am 52 years old and have, since the age of 21, always dedicated myself to the production of coffee. My wife’s name is Veneda Mérida. She is 51 years old and has always helped me to better myself morally. Since I was a child, I have worked...
February Update As part of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's continuing research of the black-crowned night herons that breed at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, we deployed satellite transmitters on three adult herons in June 2016. Jackson: This bird left the Washington, D.C., area in early...
Did you know: the Amazon milk frog has special toe pads on its feet to help them climb plants. They're so strong they can hold up to 14 times the animal's body weight! Check out even more fun facts about milk frogs.
The Zoo’s 31-year-old male harbor seal, Squeegee, died shortly after a diagnostic medical exam Feb. 1. American Trail keepers had been monitoring Squeegee closely for several weeks after he presented with blood in his urine.
A geriatric female tufted deer died at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) Feb. 2. The 24-year-old tufted deer named Morticia had been treated for cataracts and mobility issues during the past several years but recently had not responded to medications.
