News Archive

WHAT:Four 9-week-old African lion cubs will take a swim reliability test (weather permitting) prior to their public debut in June. Following the swim test, two 14-week-old lion cubs will venture into a nearby exhibit as part of their yard introduction process. The older litter will debut to the...

The lion cubs are all doing quite well! Naba's girls weigh about 30 pounds now, and Shera's cubs range from 19 to 20.5 pounds. Shera's cub that had the limp is showing great improvement. His limp is very slight, and his blood-work came back normal this week. In fact, he seems to be outcompeting his...

A six-year-old male brown kiwi named Koa died during the weekend at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. He had not exhibited any warning signs of clinical illness and was found dead in his exhibit unexpectedly the morning of April 26 at the Bird House. As is standard procedure a necropsy, or animal...

Sumatran Tiger cubs Bandar and Sukacita turn nine months old on May 5—how time flies! One sign that they are making the transition from cubs to sub-adults is that both have started to lose their "baby" incisor teeth. Their adult fangs will take a few months to grow out.

It's all a part of growing up...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and National Zoo announced today, Earth Day, the launch of the Endangered Song Project, an analog-meets-digital awareness campaign that calls upon 400 participants to use their social media strength to spread the message that there are only 400 Sumatran...

The sloth bear cub born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Dec. 29 has been named Remi by the people who know her best--her keepers. They have been hand-rearing the cub 24 hours a day since a week after she was born, becoming her surrogate parents. Care for the cub has included ensuring that she...

A sloth bear cub and a seal pup by any other name would still be as sweet, but our keepers chose the perfect names for them. Our sloth bear cub is named Remi and our seal pup is named Rona!

Asia Trail keepers who have been hand-rearing our sloth bear cub chose the name Remi. The name is derived from...

We have an animal care update from our Great Cats team. Last week, one of our African lion cubs—a male born to Shera and Luke—had not gained as much weight as expected and was exhibiting some lameness in his right leg.

The good news is that he has gained weight over the weekend! Although he continues...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is sad to report that Maude, a geriatric grey-cheeked mangabey, was humanely euthanized April 14. Maude well surpassed the typical lifespan (early 30s) of her species. She was 41 years old.

Maude was born in the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Ind. Feb. 25, 1973, and...

Last week, keepers started introductions between Shera and Naba's cubs! Keepers watch these interactions closely in the event that the cubs need to be separated. Fortunately, everyone has been getting along fine.

As part of the Zoo's animal management plan for big cats, African lions are weighed...

How mammals use coffee landscapes and what parameters are important to enhance their habitat.

Camera traps are scientists’ eyes in the wild–and SCBI scientist Tremaine Gregory has been looking up. She was looking nearly 100 feet up in to the canopy of the Peruvian rainforest to be exact. No camera traps had ever been placed that high. They will unobtrusively capture candid photos of arboreal...

Seven-month-old Bao Bao will have access to her mother Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) larger yard this week beginning each day around 8 a.m., weather depending. Bao Bao will be given the option to explore outside with her mother if the temperature is at least 35 degrees Fahrenheit with no precipitation.

This Update Was Written By American Trail Keeper Chelsea Grubb.

Where is the seal pup?

Our seal pup has an entire holding pool to herself behind-the-scenes of American trail! She is neighbors with her mom (Kara), grandmother (Selkie), and aunt (Kjya). Although they are separated from the pup by...

The decision for keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo to hand-raise a female sloth bear cub instead of leaving her with her mother Khali likely saved her life. She is now very active and growing as the result of the round-the-clock care she has received for the past two-and-a-half months.

The...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's 32-year-old female Przewalski's (Shah-VAL-skee) horse, Misha, was humanely euthanized March 12. Misha was one of three horses to arrive at SCBI in Front Royal, Va. in 1984 and the oldest Przewalski's horse in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums...

Animal care staff at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. are celebrating the birth of three male Dama gazelles. The calves were born Feb. 18, Feb. 20 and Feb. 25. At their 24-hour neonatal exam, the first calf weighed 11 pounds and the second and third calves weighed...