Press Release Archive

This morning, Sept. 25, the giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Aug. 22 received his name, Bei Bei (BAY-BAY), which means precious, treasure" and is complementary to his sister's name, Bao Bao. In celebration of the state visit and as a special honor for the cub, the name was...

Keepers had an opportunity to weigh the 4.5 week-old giant panda cub yesterday, Sept. 21, when Mei Xiang left her den to eat. He weighs 2.95 pounds (1,339 grams) and has now surpassed both of his older siblings in size when they were the same age. At 4-and-a-half weeks old, Bao Bao weighed...

David M. Rubenstein has pledged a second $4.5 million gift to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, funding its giant panda research and conservation program through the end of 2020. The gift will support conservation efforts in China, research on giant panda...

Aug. 29—Mei Xiang ate for the first time since giving birth. Keepers left sugarcane in her den for her, which she chose to eat around 1 p.m. She put her cub down for a few minutes while eating, giving panda cam viewers an excellent view of him. His black markings have started coming in around his...

Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics confirmed that the giant panda cub born Aug. 22 at the National Zoo is male. A paternity analysis showed that Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN) is the cub's father. Scientists also confirmed the...

WHAT: The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will announce the gender and paternity of the giant panda cubs born at the Zoo Aug. 22. The smaller of the two cubs died Aug. 26. Initial necropsy findings for the deceased cub will be shared. WHEN:9 a.m. WHERE:The entrance to...

Overnight, it was evident to panda keepers and veterinarians that our healthy panda cub was active and nursing appropriately throughout the night. Mother Mei Xiang is showing proper maternal care which includes short sleep cycles and adjusting the tiny cub in her arms for better positioning and...

WHAT:The smaller giant panda cub died this afternoon shortly after 2 p.m. More information will be provided at a press conference. The larger cub appears to be strong, robust, behaving normally and is with mother Mei Xiang. WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 26, 4 p.m. WHERE:Panda Plaza, 3001 Connecticut Avenue...

The smaller of the two giant panda cubs born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Aug. 22, died shortly after 2 p.m. today, Aug. 26. The panda team rotated both cubs in the past 24 hours allowing each to benefit from spending time with their mother, Mei Xiang. The smaller cub was with Mei Xiang from...

Mei Xiang has not been a willing participant in the panda team's efforts to switch the cubs since 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. She has the larger cub in her possession. The panda team is caring for the smaller cub and will continue efforts to swap the cubs about every four hours. However, because the...

Our panda cubs are doing well but the panda team had a challenging night. When they tried to swap the cubs at 11p.m., Mei Xiang would not set down the cub she had in her possession. Consequently, the panda team cared for the smaller cub throughout the night until 7:05 a.m. when they successfully...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute confirms the first giant panda cub born at 5:35 p.m. and a second giant panda cub was born at 10:07 p.m., Aug, 22. Shortly after the second birth, a panda team of three keepers retrieved one of the cubs per the Zoo's Giant Panda Twin...

Giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo today, Aug. 22. The panda team witnessed the birth at 5:35 pm. Mei Xiang reacted to the cub by picking it up. The panda team began preparing for a birth when they saw Mei Xiang's water break at 4:32 pm and she...

For the first time at the National Zoo, veterinarians detected something new during an ultrasound procedure this morning on giant panda Mei Xiang. They believe it is a developing giant panda fetus. Based on the size of the fetus, which is about four centimeters, veterinarians estimate that Mei Xiang...

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) has been a leader in black-footed ferret conservation since a small population of this solitary, nocturnal carnivore was discovered in 1981. SCBI received offspring from the species' surviving 18 individuals and was the first institution to breed...

For b-roll, click here. Five critically endangered Cuban crocodiles hatched at the National Zoo's Reptile Discovery Center between July 29 and Aug. 7. The eggs were laid by Dorothy, a 57-year-old genetically valuable crocodile. The hatchlings are less than a foot long, but they could reach up to 10...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is mourning the loss of a young male agouti named Macadamia, who died Aug. 10 during veterinary treatment. Initial exam suggested potential neck and or head injury. Due to the habit of running quickly around the habitat, self-induced trauma is suspected. According to...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists have confirmed a secondary rise in giant panda Mei Xiang's (may-SHONG) urinary progesterone levels. The slow rise started July 20 and indicates that she will either have a cub or experience the end of a pseudopregnancy within 30 to 50 days...

Zabini, an elderly male cheetah living at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, was humanely euthanized late evening Aug. 3. He was being treated for ongoing weakness in his hind limbs and was anesthetized for a complete exam Monday. Hind-limb weakness is a possible symptom of a neurologic disorder...

In a sweeping paper in Biology Letters published today, Aug. 5, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists are calling for a dramatic shift in when biologists study animals in their natural habitat.

We are sad to announce that a 30-year-old male kori bustard at the Bird House died Aug. 1. A pathology report will...Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Monday, August 3, 2015

We’re excited to share the discovery of the first new canid species in Africa in 150 years, the African golden wolf....Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Thursday, July 30, 2015

Visiting the Elephant Community Center, you may notice a new accessory in Kandula’s yard. It’s a crate. A 17-foot-long,...Posted by Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute on Wednesday, July 29, 2015

The Smithsonian's National Zoo recently welcomed two species of guenons to its zoological family: four Allen's swamp monkeys and three Schmidt's red-tailed monkeys. All seven guenons are now on exhibit in the Think Tank indoor and outdoor habitats. As the monkeys continue to acclimate, keepers will...