News Archive

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...

Today, Nababeip's two cubs received their second routine veterinary exam. At almost a month and a half old, they weigh between 16 and 17 pounds. They both got a clean bill of health! Keepers also had the opportunity to get a first hands-on look at Shera's four cubs. We were able to get individual...

Sumatran tiger cubs Bandar and Sukacita turned seven months old yesterday! Both are growing fast—Bandar weighs 88 pounds, and Sukacita weighs 73 pounds.

The Washington, D.C. winter weather has been particularly cold and snowy this year. On days where it's too cold to go outside, we give the cubs a...

March came in like a lion—four lions, to be exact—9-year-old African lion Shera gave birth to a litter at the Great Cats exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Their delivery March 2 spanned a seven-hour period, from 8:27 a.m. to 3:17 p.m. These cubs are the second litter for Shera and the fifth...

March came in like a lion—four lions, to be exact— as 9-year-old African lion Shera gave birth to a litter at the Great Cats exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Their delivery March 2 spanned a seven-hour period, from 8:27 a.m. to 3:17 p.m. These cubs are the second litter for Shera and the...

On March 2, 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill passed by both Houses that officially established the National Zoo and allocated funds for the purchase of land. To celebrate its 125th Anniversary, the Smithsonian's National Zoo is proud to bring back the animal that sparked the...

We want to let you know that for the immediate future all lion cub cams will be going offline. The good news is, when they come back online, we hope it's to give you a look at new lion cubs! Shera's due date is imminent, and our team is preparing for a new litter of cubs.

As we mentioned last week...

Pandora, the female giant Pacific octopus at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, died yesterday. Animal care staff estimate that Pandora was about 5 years old. The median lifespan for giant Pacific octopuses is about 3 to 5 years. Pandora came to the Zoo in November 2011 when she was about 1.5 years old...

Healthy and well fed! That was the ruling animal care staff gave to Nababiep's two-and-a-half-week-old cubs during their first veterinary exam yesterday. The complete physical involved listening to the cubs' hearts and lungs; checking their mouths, eyes, legs, and feet; and feeling their bellies...

A few days ago, African lion mother Naba spent some time away from her cubs and enjoyed a special oxtail treat with her sister Shera. Keepers took the opportunity to get their first in-person look at the cubs. Their report: they are adorable! In order to distinguish the two, keepers shaved a small...

After a tough start, our new seal pup appears to be thriving and rapidly gaining weight! She now weighs 60 pounds; that's almost double her birth weight.

Gray seals generally nurse from their mothers for about 15 to 20 days. Our team of keepers and veterinarians continue to supplement nursing with...

Animal keepers at the National Zoo have been hand feeding a female gray seal pup, born Jan. 21 at 10:21 p.m., in the holding area of the seal exhibit on American Trail. Zoo keepers, veterinarians and nutritionists have been closely monitoring the pup and her mother, Kara. Within 48 hours of her...

Red pandas Rusty and Shama have moved from the Smithsonian's National Zoo to our Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. Rusty and Shama are paired as a result of a breeding recommendation based on the Species Survival Plan. Shama has bred successfully in the Zoo's exhibit, but it's...

The snowy owl that has been spotted recently in the Washington D.C. area was brought to the Smithsonian's National Zoo for care early this morning after reportedly being hit by a bus in the 15^th and I St. area of the District. The owl was found by the Metropolitan Police who reported the injury to...