News Archive

Friends of the National Zoo calls all baking enthusiasts to enter the annual Gin-GRR-Bread Habitat Contest at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. This year's theme is, A Winter's Tail on the American Trail. American Trail is the newest exhibit at the National Zoo and is home to four California sea lions...

WHAT: Autumn Conservation Festival WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 6 and Sunday, Oct. 7 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, Va. Just off of Route 522 It's that time of year again. In fact, the only time of year when the gates to the Smithsonian...

The 14 th annual Boo at the Zoo promises to be a howling good time filled with costumed families and fun at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Oct. 26, 27, and 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hosted by Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), Boo at the Zoo offers kids ages two to 12 a safe atmosphere to...

As any butterfly watcher knows, it is hard enough to spot a specific butterfly—it turns out that tracking a whole population of butterflies poses an even bigger challenge. Scientists rarely count entire populations because of the difficulty, time, and resources such an endeavor demands. Instead...

Pathologists at the Smithsonian's National Zoo performed a necropsy (animal autopsy) Sept. 23 on the six-day-old giant panda cub that died earlier that morning. A final pathology report will provide more information in the next few weeks, but the preliminary report suggests two potential...

It's hard to believe that another year has passed since the birth of Naba and Shera's cubs, yet here we are planning their second birthday celebration! Lelie, Zuri, Fahari and John turned two years old on August 31; Lusaka will be turning two on September 22. We'd love to invite everyone to join us...

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced Sept. 19 that the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park has been awarded Top Honors for the 2012 AZA International Conservation Award for its Scientific Approaches to Conservation of Giant Pandas and Their Habitat program and Significant...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo's female giant panda Mei Xiang gave Panda Cam viewers another sneak peek of her cub, born Sunday Sept. 16. At about 7:54 a.m. Sept. 20, Mei Xiang gently picked the squealing cub up in her mouth before placing it on the ground to groom it. Keepers continue to be...

Smithsonian's National Zoo staff and Panda Cam watchers have gotten several quick glimpses of female giant panda Mei Xiang's cub since its birth Sept. 16 at 10:46 p.m. In this video from Sept. 17. at about 8:35 p.m. EST, Mei Xiang cradles the newborn and picks it up in her mouth as she shifts...

Mei Xiang, the National Zoo's female giant panda gave birth to a cub Sunday, Sept. 16 at 10:46 p.m.

Olympic medalists Justin Gatlin and Carmelita Jeter had a playful behind-the-scenes encounter today with the two cheetah cubs at the Smithsonian's National Zoo that were named after the athletes. Although the cubs did not show much interest in the Olympic medals the athletes held up, the cats...

Put on your dancing shoes, tease your hair, break out your acid wash jeans, pull on your legwarmers and get ready to rock! Friends of the National Zoo is hosting its first ever 80s dance party-themed Rock-N-Roar Sept. 27, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Musical guest...

USA Track & Field Olympic sprinters Carmelita Jeter and Justin Gatlin will be at the Smithsonian's National Zoo this Thursday, Sept. 13, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to meet the Zoo's two cheetah cubs, Carmelita and Justin. The athletes will also sign autographs for visitors at the Cheetah...

A team of Smithsonian scientists joined more than 200 others around the world to examine if giving protected status to a tropical forest offered adequate protection to the plants and animals within its borders. They found that in almost half the cases it did not. The team's findings are published...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo will receive $400,000 over the next two years from the Ford Motor Company Fund to study the health of giant pandas.

After five years of planning and construction, the National Zoo will open the new American Trail exhibit to the public Saturday, Sept. 1, at noon. The renovated area in the extensive lower valley between Elephant Trail and Amazonia will transport visitors to the Pacific Northwest where they will...

American Trail showcases species that are gems of North American wildlife, and treasures to us all. These animals represent the triumph of the American spirit and conservation success stories. The majority of American Trail species have rebounded after facing severe threats. Many of the residents of...

Visitors to the Smithsonian's National Zoo can now see its three-month-old fishing cat kittens exploring, playing, climbing and fishing on Asia Trail. The kittens and their mother, Electra, will be on exhibit from approximately 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, weather permitting. They are most active in...

Visitors to the Smithsonian's National Zoo can now see its three-month-old fishing cat kittens exploring, playing, climbing and fishing on Asia Trail. The kittens and their mother, Electra, will be on exhibit from approximately 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, weather permitting. They are most active in...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed the births of three different hoofed species in the span of one week. A male scimitar-horned oryx, a female Przewalski's horse and a female onager were born Aug. 4, 9 and 11, respectively, at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va...

National Zoo scientists have detected a secondary rise in urinary progesterone in its female giant panda, Mei Xiang. This means that she will either give birth to a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy in 40 to 50 days. Mei Xiang has had five consecutive pseudopregnancies since 2007. Mei...

A flamingo chick hatched at the Smithsonian's National Zoo July 29. Its sex has not yet been determined. The flock of 63 birds produces about 15 fertile eggs in a normal breeding season. However, the flock had irregular mating patterns this year; they produced only six eggs and did not construct...

Friends of the National Zoo invites guests to raise a wine glass and toast to conservation at Grapes with the Apes at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Sept. 20, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Renowned local and national wineries will offer vintages for guests to sip while mingling in the Great Apes House after...

The National Zoo humanely euthanized its 13-day-old Addra (dama) gazelle fawn Aug. 7. The fawn, a male, was born on exhibit in front of visitors. Cheetah Conservation Station keepers and Zoo veterinarians had been closely observing him since shortly after his birth July 25. Last Friday, when keepers...

Nikki, the 20-year-old male Andean (or spectacled) bear at the Smithsonian's National Zoo was euthanized Aug. 6. A final pathology report will provide more information. Keeper and veterinary staff had been intensely managing his health over the past year, and his condition began to rapidly decline...