News Archive

By: Lauren Augustine It's an exciting time of year at RDC! Our Cuban crocodiles have begun exhibiting breeding behaviors. In general the males will initiate courtship with a head slap. This involves the male making a very specific posture in the pool where his head is raised above the waterline, his...

During a routine exam on Monday November 30, Bei Bei weighed 15 pounds (6.89 kg)! He's getting more difficult to weigh now that he is trying to climb out of the weighing tub! In stark comparison, his older sister Bao Bao weighs almost 150 pounds (68 kg). At his exam on November 19, we saw that Bei...

Twenty-five Instagrammers will be some of the first people to see giant panda cub Bei Bei (BAY-BAY) Dec. 19 at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Beginning today, Dec. 1, anyone age 13 or older can enter for a chance to attend the #PandaStory Instameet. Instagrammers selected to attend will receive a...

Polar bears are arctic specialists. Unfortunately, these beloved bears face a growing threat in the form of disappearing sea ice. Our senior scientist, Dr. Don Moore, traveled to Canada for Polar Bear Week to monitor how climate change is affecting the bears in their shrinking habitat. Polar Bears...

During a routine medical exam yesterday, Nov. 24, veterinarians at the Smithsonian's National Zoo discovered that their male clouded leopard had life-threatening tumors. Keepers had noticed that Tai, a 13-and-a-half-year-old male, had been chewing gingerly on the right side of his mouth for the past...

We are sad to announce the loss of three elderly small mammals, who died yesterday, Nov. 23. Geriatric animals receive specialized care from their keepers, veterinarians, and nutritionists to ensure that they receive the best possible care. Often, that entails ensuring their exhibits are easy to get...

Giant pandas, which have been icons and ambassadors for the efforts to save the species in Washington, D.C., since 1972, will continue to live at the Smithsonian's National Zoo through the end of 2020. The new breeding agreement signed by Zoo Director Dennis Kelly and Li Qingwen, deputy secretary...

Bei Bei is a healthy 12.5 pound boy and he's on the move. Although he took his first steps, the rock work provided more traction than the slippery floor, so it will take him a little longer to figure out how to walk on this surface. The other cubs were able to eventually figure it out though so we...

Giant panda cub Bei Bei (BAY-BAY) will go on public exhibit for the first time Jan. 16, 2016. In the past three months, he has transformed from a pink hairless cub weighing about 5 ounces to a robust 12.5-pound black-and-white cub capable of crawling and sometimes walking on his own. The panda team...

This morning, Bei Bei weighed 5.35 kilograms, or 11.79 pounds. His ear canals are open, and keepers have noticed that he is starting to respond to noise. Mei Xiang has been bringing Bei Bei out of the den to the indoor enclosure regularly and leaving him while she eats or goes outside. Under her...

The Andean Bear exhibit is celebrating two very special birthdays on November 10 and 11: Mayni and Muniri are turning one year old! In the latest Keeper Q&A Sarah Colandrea reveals plans for a birthday bash and the cubs’ future. How are the cubs celebrating their birthdays? On November 11, our...

When last weighed on Friday October 30, Bei Bei was 9.5 pounds! Since he is growing so rapidly, we know for certain that he is getting enough to eat. However, Bei Bei still occasionally fusses after he nurses. It is possible that Mei Xiang, like many mammal mothers, occasionally ends the nursing...

A 19-year-old female North Island brown kiwi named Nessus died Oct. 30 at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Per standard procedure, a necropsy (animal autopsy) was performed the same day. The initial report indicates that aspiration of stomach contents was the immediate cause of death. Additional...

A mystery: African lions are breeding, but they’re not producing cubs. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute science sleuths are on the case! Their goal: to determine the cause of the cub “bust” by studying the hormones in female lion feces. Their findings were published a PLOS-ONE paper...

Smithsonian's National Zoo biologist Gil Myers journeyed to Gabon to participate in the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute's Gabon Biodiversity Program. Gil's trip highlights the connections between the Zoo's exhibits in Washington, D.C. and its field activities in Gabon...

Sadly, both of the geriatric maned wolves at the Cheetah Conservation Station recently died. As a non-breeding companion pair, they were terrific ambassadors for their species, and taught visitors about the behavior and social nature of maned wolves. The exhibit will remain empty while our animal...

The National Zoo is sad to announce the death of 7-year-old golden lion tamarin Pepe, who died overnight at the Vet Hospital. A final pathology report will provide more information. The median life expectancy of a golden lion tamarin is 8 years in the wild. A few weeks ago, keepers noticed that Pepe...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) welcomed three chirping cheetah cubs Friday, Oct. 16. The cubs are genetically very important for the population of cheetahs in human care. Their mother, Sanurra, is the third-most genetically valuable female in the United States. She came to...

In late-September, our 38-year-old Asian elephant Bozie started displaying colic-like symptoms. Through blood tests, staff discovered that she has a serious infection that is affecting her appetite. Our team has been constantly monitoring Bozie, while also encouraging her to socialize and play with...

By: Lauren Augustine Happy Reptile Awareness Day! This Croc blog is going to be a little different because it's actually about gharials! I recently visited India and I was able to see two amazing species in the wild: gharial and mugger crocodile. My colleagues and I were graciously hosted by local...

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By: Lauren Augustine During the first few months of their lives, our baby Cuban crocodiles are meticulously monitored to ensure they are growing properly. In addition getting an initial weight from them after they hatched, RDC keepers frequently weigh them each month to ensure they are eating and...

All of the world's coral face global threats from ocean warming and acidification making coral reefs one of most extinction-prone ecosystems on the planet. The algae that live inside the coral are an important link in this process, and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists are...

Pollination study in southern Costa Rica on a coffee farm.

On October 8, vets performed an exam on Bei Bei. He weighed in at 5.9 pounds. His eyes are now fully open and he is getting more active and rambunctious. He also received his first vaccination. Before the full veterinary exam, our chief veterinarian Don Neiffer settled the panda cub by massaging two...