News Archive

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...

January’s bouts of winter weather have kept our tiger cubs, Bandar and Sukacita, on their toes! The cubs seem to have a heap of fun pouncing in the snow. While we want them to enjoy their time outside, we are mindful to let them out for just a short time. That way, they aren’t overexposed to the...

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...

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 National Zoo is mourning the loss of an 8-year-old adult male cheetah, Draco, who was humanely euthanized earlier this morning. A final pathology report will provide more information. Typically, male cheetahs in human care have a median lifespan of 10 years. Longevity studies have not been...

Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) announced that John Ring, a partner with the law firm Morgan Lewis, has been elected to serve as President of the FONZ Board of Directors. Ring has been an integral part of FONZ for more than seven years and succeeds Andrew Shore, who led the organization for the...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo's Great Cats team celebrated the arrival of its first litter of African lion cubs in four years. On Jan. 24, the Zoo's 10-year-old lion Nababiep gave birth to three cubs—two surviving—in an eight-hour period. These cubs are the third litter for Nababiep and the...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo's Great Cats team celebrated the arrival of its first litter of African lion cubs in four years. On Jan. 24, the Zoo's 10-year-old lion Nababiep gave birth to three cubs—two surviving—in an eight-hour period. These cubs are the third litter for Nababiep and the fourth...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute rung in 2014 with the hatching of the most endangered species in its collection—a Micronesian kingfisher—Jan. 1. The chick, whose sex is unknown, is the first offspring for its 8-year-old father and 2-year-old mother. This boost brings the total...