Press Release Archive

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is mourning the loss of 12-year-old alpaca, Ziggy, who died Sept. 23.

The 3,200-acre Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Va.—which is the headquarters for the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s conservation science initiatives and is normally closed to the public—will open its gates Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Conservation...

The Cheetah Conservation Station at the Smithsonian's National Zoo is celebrating a baby boom of critically endangered dama gazelles. Three calves were born Aug. 30, Sept. 16 and Sept. 18 to mothers Adara, Fahima and Zafirah, respectively.

The giant panda team at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has determined that Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) will not give birth this year.

On Sept. 13, Smithsonian scientists and partners published a groundbreaking new book, "Genetic Management of Fragmented Animal and Plant Populations," which addresses one of today's greatest conservation challenges.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo transported its 9-week-old male Sumatran tiger cub to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where he will live and thrive with another young male tiger cub.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is hosting Enrichment Day Sept. 16, ZooFiesta Sept. 24 and Conservation Discovery Day Oct. 7.

After a five-year hiatus, Cheetah Conservation Station keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are celebrating the birth of a critically endangered dama gazelle. The male calf was born in an off-exhibit enclosure Aug. 30.

ZooLights—powered by Pepco—at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is wilder than ever and a perfect holiday event for everyone in the family. Now in its 11th year, the annual free lights festival twinkles from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1, 2018 (except Dec. 24, 25 and 31) from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo welcomed two screaming hairy armadillo pups Aug. 11. The pups are the first ever born at the Zoo.

Giant panda Bei Bei celebrated his second birthday Aug. 22, with a panda friendly cake made by the Smithsonian's National Zoo's department of nutrition.

Maja, a 13-year-old Przewalski’s horse, was humanely euthanized at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Aug. 13, for renal failure.

Primate keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Red Oak, a red-fronted lemur who was humanely euthanized Aug. 9.

An endangered brown kiwi chick kicked her way out of her egg at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia, between Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30.

All across the world, scientists are tracking the movements of animals, collecting considerable data to better understand how animals migrate, what paths they take and what threats they may face along the way. A new statistical model from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) and...

As the world prepares to celebrate Global Tiger Day this Saturday, July 29, Great Cats keepers have some big news to share about the 2-week-old Sumatran tiger cub in their care: it appears to be a boy!

Keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Minnesota, a Przewalski’s horse who was humanely euthanized yesterday morning.

Kids’ Farm keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Tulip, a 13-year-old Holstein cow who was humanely euthanized July 24.

Two litters of red panda cubs were born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute last month within days of each other.

A new cryopreservation study has sweeping implications for wildlife conservation and human health. In a paper published July 13 in ACS Nano, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and University of Minnesota provide the first-ever reproducible evidence for the successful cryopreservation of...

Great Cats keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are celebrating the birth of a Sumatran tiger, a critically endangered species. The cub’s mother, 8-year-old Damai, gave birth at 4:17 p.m. on July 11.

An adult female red panda and an adult female dama gazelle died at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute during the past week. Both deaths were the result of natural causes.

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) humanely euthanized a X-year-old female scimitar-horned oryx, named Jenna, on June 18.

Keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are celebrating a conservation success five years in the making: a pair of Bourret’s box turtle hatchlings.