Zoo News Archive
Mar. 23, 2018
Primate keeper Melba Brown discusses nutrition for pregnant western lowland gorilla, Calaya, and the significant role of milk for her infant.
Mar. 23, 2018
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo community is celebrating the arrival of a 36-year-old male Asian elephant named Spike.
Mar. 22, 2018
Get the answers to your most internet-searched questions about gray wolves, such as "Why do gray wolves howl at the moon?" Hint: they don't!
Mar. 19, 2018
The beginning of March was a whirlwind at the Giant Panda Habitat. Mei Xiang finally went into peak estrus March 1 after the panda team had been monitoring her and Tian Tian 24-hours-a-day for nearly...
Mar. 14, 2018
In November 2017, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center postdoctoral fellow Alex Jahn traveled to southern Brazil to study the migration of snail kites with Brazilian colleagues at Taim Ecological...
Mar. 14, 2018
Senior Scientist and Head of the Center for Species Survival at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute David Wildt has been chosen to receive the 2017 Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award...
Mar. 13, 2018
Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have found that poaching is an emerging crisis for Asian elephants in Myanmar. They published their findings March 13 in PLOS ONE.
Mar. 08, 2018
A well-known prehensile-tailed porcupine named Clark died March 7 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Clark had developed intermittent wheezing and a suspected upper-respiratory tract infection...
Mar. 07, 2018
In a new study almost 20 years in the making, Smithsonian researchers and partners report some of the strongest evidence yet of the phenomenon of speciation reversal in two lineages of common ravens.
Mar. 05, 2018
Get the answers to your most internet-searched questions about orangutans.
Mar. 02, 2018
Since their arrival at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in 2000, giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have been fantastic (and photogenic) representatives of their home country of China. They are also...
Mar. 02, 2018
Dive into the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Amazonia exhibit and discover fish that zap their prey using high-voltage electricity, a titi monkey and birds roaming freely through the flooded forest,...
Mar. 02, 2018
Expectant animal mothers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo often undergo maternal training to ensure that they are successful parents to their new offspring. In addition to training the mothers-to-be...
Mar. 02, 2018
Tentacled snakes are masters of hiding in plain sight. This species is so stealthy that Reptile Discovery Center staff were surprised to discover three babies in their exhibit last December. What...
Mar. 01, 2018
A team of reproductive scientists, veterinarians and panda keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute performed an artificial insemination on giant panda Mei Xiang.
Mar. 01, 2018
Visitors may have noticed that 12-year-old African lion Luke has had an on-again, off-again limp. As part of his treatment, the veterinary team is performing deep-tissue laser therapy,...
Feb. 23, 2018
Family dynamics and relationships can be complicated, even among gorillas. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Great Ape House is home to two groups—called troops—of western lowland gorillas.
Feb. 22, 2018
Four maned wolf pups were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Dec. 23, 2017. During much of their first weeks they were nestled in a den but are now exploring more areas of their...
Feb. 21, 2018
Keepers have noticed some dramatic changes in Mei Xiang and Tian Tian’s behavior during the past several days. On Saturday, Feb. 17, Mei Xiang started showing behavioral changes that indicate she may...
Feb. 20, 2018
This year, Friends of the National Zoo is celebrating its 60th anniversary. We couldn't have made it this far without your energy, passion and support.
Feb. 16, 2018
Giant panda Bei Bei celebrated the Lunar New Year with some special Year of the Dog enrichment!
Feb. 16, 2018
Members can get up close and personal with animals at 4 p.m. on March 3.
Feb. 16, 2018
Primate keeper Melba Brown trained the Zoo’s pregnant western lowland gorilla, Calaya, to participate in ultrasounds.
Feb. 09, 2018
Congrats and best wishes from our wild and furry team to Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea!
Feb. 09, 2018
The future of rhinos could depend on their DNA. Scientists In collaboration with researchers in the United States, South Africa and Russia, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientist Klaus-...