Press Release Archive

The clouded leopard cubs born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va., Feb. 6, are healthy and growing. At nearly two months old, they just received their first vaccinations. As they have grown, their diet has changed to match their appetites and nutritional needs. When...

Asia Trail Curator Tony Barthel and keeper staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have determined the sex of a 3-month-old sloth bear cub: it's a boy! Keepers report that the cub is quite daring and adventurous; he will balance himself atop wobbly enrichment toys (such as logs and boomer balls) and...

The limosa harlequin frog ( Atelopus limosus), an endangered species native to Panama, now has a new lease on life. The Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project is successfully breeding the chevron-patterned form of the species in captivity for the first time. The rescue project is raising...

The commitment at the National Zoo to save Asian elephants from extinction and ensure a future for this endangered species spans more than 50 years. In keeping with the best practices for elephant management, the Zoo has invested in a state-of-the-art exhibit: Elephant Trails. This innovative and...

Have You HERD? Media Open House at the National Zoo's New Elephant Community Center WHAT: A media preview of the Elephant Community Center—the reopening of the 1930s Elephant House—featuring a new state-of-the-art indoor facility for the Zoo's elephants, including a much expanded sand area...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is mourning the loss of a 16-year-old female maned wolf named Diamantina, who died March 8. A final pathology report will provide more information in the coming weeks. The median life expectancy of a wild maned wolf is usually about 13 years; for a zoo wolf, that...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Washingtonian magazine are asking kids for help in welcoming the Zoo's elephants to their new Elephant Community Center. Elementary school-aged students in the Washington, D.C., metro area are invited to write letters to the elephants on one of the following topics...

The eight-week-old Andean bear cubs at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's received a clean bill of health today from the Zoo veterinarians. The veterinary team performed a complete physical exam Feb. 20, which included listening to the cubs' hearts and lungs; checking their mouth, eyes, legs, feet and...

Are bird bills simply for eating or do they play a role in mating?

This Valentine's Day, the Smithsonian's National Zoo is offering valentines a unique way to show their love for their family and friends. For less than a card and a box of chocolates ($10), anyone can send an electronic Critter Cupid to someone special in his or her life—a friend, child, parent...

When great ape keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo were deciding how to add more variety and enrichment to their animals' lives, they turned to Orangutan Outreach and a program that had seen great success in 12 other zoos around the world: Apps for Apes. With the tap of a finger, keepers are...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is a global leader in brown kiwi conservation largely because of Animal Keeper Kathy Brader's efforts, and her devotion to this endangered species was honored recently by New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key. On Jan. 1, Key appointed Brader an Honorary Member of the...

As rapid economic expansion continues to shape the Asian landscape on which many species depend, time is running out for conservationists aiming to save wildlife such as tigers and leopards. Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have used genetic analysis to find that the...

If you have visited the Cheetah Conservation Station at the Smithsonian's National Zoo lately, you may have noticed new red river hog or sitatunga, and wondered: what are they? All your questions will be answered Jan. 11 at the special event, Teeming with Life: Bringing Gabon to the National Zoo...

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is celebrating the birth of two Andean bear cubs born overnight to 6-year-old Billie Jean. The first cub was born around 12:01 a.m. and the second at 2:02 a.m. These two cubs were sired by Nikki, who was humanely euthanized in August. This species has a high mortality...

Human—elephant conflict in Sri Lanka kills more than 70 humans and 200 Asian elephants every year. One of the most common tools in combating these conflicts is moving the elephants into ranges away from humans, often into national parks. This is done in hopes of avoiding problems that include...

As the world celebrated the pregnancy news from Buckingham Palace earlier in the week, staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo were making preparations for their own highly anticipated birth: Andean bear cubs. Zoo veterinarians have conducted weekly ultrasounds since Nov. 6 on 6-year-old Billie Jean...

The Speedwell Foundation Conservation Carousel—one of the only solar-powered carousels in the world—is now open at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. The carousel, made possible by the Speedwell Foundation, features hand-carved and hand-painted animals and has a net-zero impact on the Zoo's energy...

Veterinary staff at the Smithsonian's National Zoo humanely euthanized a 19-year-old female Sumatran tiger, Soyono, this morning. A final pathology report may provide more information, but her health had been in decline for several weeks. In early October, Soyono—affectionately known as Soy—began to...

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a succulent roasted turkey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that consumers cook and eat more than 45 million turkeys every Thanksgiving. Very few Americans, however, know much about the difference between their gravy-smothered poultry and the...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and collaborators have found that the island scrub-jay's population on Santa Cruz Island—its only habitat—is significantly smaller than previously believed and that it is therefore at greater risk of extinction.

ZooLights—powered by Pepco—at the Smithsonian's National Zoo is wilder than ever this year and a perfect holiday event for everyone in the family! The annual lights festival, hosted by Friends of the National Zoo, is 25 nights—longer than it has ever been in its six-year history—and it is free!

The newest additions at the Reptile Discovery Center at the Smithsonian's National Zoo were a surprise even to the keepers: eight tentacled snakes, born Oct. 21 to parents that have not produced viable young in the four years the Zoo has had them, despite breeding attempts. Tentacled snakes are...

Every year more than 4 million people enjoy the popular Appalachian Trail, which extends from Maine to Georgia and is surrounded by forests as well as agricultural and residential development. However, just as humans depend on the land, so, too, does the native wildlife. With the help of citizen...