Give Today
Now more than ever, we need your support. Make a donation to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute today!
Zoo News Archive
Jul. 07, 2022
What does feeding time look like for five growing cheetah cubs and their mom? Watch the video to find out how fast Rosalie and her cubs can devour more than 10 pounds of meat.
Jul. 01, 2022
Get to know the intelligent, elusive black tree monitor in this Q&A with the assistant curator of Reptile Discovery Center.
Jul. 01, 2022
Many of the Zoo’s animals are built for extreme temperatures, including the fennec fox! Learn how animal keepers care for these desert dwelling foxes.
Jul. 01, 2022
They’re sweet, outgoing and always in the mood for food. Meet Scarlet, Xena and Taizong, the new red pandas at our Front Royal, Virginia, campus!
Jun. 21, 2022
Did you know that the fuzzier an animal is, the better it picks up pollen? Or that most pollination happens by happy accident? Get the buzz on pollinators from Donna Stockton, an entomologist and...
Jun. 17, 2022
For the first time, a whooping crane—one of the most endangered species of crane in the world —hatched May 26 and is thriving at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal,...
Jun. 03, 2022
The ocean has many unusual inhabitants, but few are as strange and ancient as the horseshoe crab.
Jun. 03, 2022
Put your senses to the test at the Claws and Paws Pathway! Follow your nose to the binturongs, who smell like buttered popcorn, and keep your eyes peeled for petite Pallas’s cats hiding in plain...
Jun. 03, 2022
In March and April, keepers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, celebrated the arrival of two male kiwi chicks! Get to know them in this update from the bird...
Jun. 01, 2022
Slow down for a minute and meet the Zoo’s turtle-y awesome Asian box turtles! Read on to find out what it takes to care for Bourret’s box turtles and other species.
May. 27, 2022
Prowl the new Claws & Paws Pathway exhibit opening to the public Friday, May 27. Visitors will encounter a North American porcupine, bobcats and the Zoo’s newest residents — binturongs and Pallas...
May. 23, 2022
Wood turtles are one of the most endangered freshwater turtles in North America. To ensure a future for these reptiles, scientists first need to understand where wood turtles remain and how many are...
May. 18, 2022
We are sad to share that our male harbor seal, Rabbit, died May 13. He was 15 years old.
May. 03, 2022
Staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are devastated and mourning the loss of 25 American flamingos and one Northern pintail duck killed by a fox yesterday in the...
Apr. 28, 2022
Meet the cutest clump of “moss” you ever did see: the Vietnamese mossy frog! In spring, the Reptile Discovery Center team celebrated the arrival of 50 hatchlings. Learn what it takes to set the mood...
Apr. 28, 2022
Snot otter, devil dog, or hellbender? Whatever name you call them, they are largest salamander in the Americas. Check out how animal keeper Matt Neff cares for and studies these unique salamanders!
Apr. 28, 2022
Young animals learn what it means to be an animal—what to eat, how to behave and more—from their parents. For Yipes, our 1-year-old male Hartmann’s mountain zebra, those lessons most recently came...
Apr. 28, 2022
April, or Ape-ril, is a great time to recognize our apes because many of them celebrate their birthdays this month!
Apr. 28, 2022
'Hoppy' Amphibian Awareness Week! All week long, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will be sharing stories about amazing amphibians and the scientists working to save...
Apr. 27, 2022
Cheetah Conservation Station keepers at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are rejoicing in the birth of two lesser kudu calves. For the second time in 6 months, Small...
Apr. 26, 2022
The 6-month-old cheetah cubs are growing well and are ready to play! Plus, their individual personalities are starting to shine through. Get the latest update on Rosalie's cubs from cheetah biologist...
Apr. 26, 2022
In April, the commissary team was busy creating colorful ice cakes for giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji in celebration of the 50th anniversary of giant pandas at the Zoo.
Apr. 20, 2022
When female Asian elephant Swarna joined our herd in May 2014, her routine tooth exams showed an unusual shape and wear pattern on her teeth. Elephant dentistry specialists joined the Zoo’s team to...
Apr. 16, 2022
To commemorate 50 years of unprecedented achievement in the care, conservation, breeding and study of giant pandas, the Smithsonian's National Zoo’s in-residence giant panda family—Tian Tian, Mei...
Apr. 13, 2022
Did you know that all animals have trillions of microscopic bacteria living inside them? These communities of microbes, known as microbiomes, play an important role in keeping animals healthy.