Tamanduas are arboreal relatives of anteaters, whom they resemble. Native to South America, they can live in a variety of habitats and eat mainly social insects such as ants, termites and bees.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Southern tamanduas have short
By Mike Henley, Invertebrate Exhibit Keeper at the National Zoo
It is nothing short of amazing to me that these brainless animals have fine-tuned
National Zoological Park’s Janine Brown and a team of collaborators have just completed
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is committed to preserving Asian and African elephants—both in human care and in the wild. As part of this mission, the Zoo researches diseases that afflict elephants, such as the elephant herpesvirus, known as elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). Researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo were the first to identify EEHV in 1995, following the death of our 16-month-old Asian elephant, Kumari, who was Shanthi’s first calf.
Since then, these researchers have made significant discoveries on the biology of
Enjoy these 50 facts about giant pandas in honor of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Giant Panda 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Scientists and conservationists have worked to restore the giant panda’s habitat
Let’s play a game…for science! With a tap of the touch-screen computer, orangutans at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo try their memories at matching pictures. These games help scientists study the apes’ metacognition.
For example, orangutans have to try to remember where food is located.
In a darkened, red-lit area of the Small Mammal House, two small, nocturnal primates explore their habitats. Naga and Pabu are the first pygmy slow lorises housed at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Get the full scoop from keepers Kara Ingraham and Ann Gutowski in this Q+A.
Pygmy slow lorises have highly specialized diets that are difficult to replicate
Reaching up to 10 feet (3 meters) long, arapaima are the largest freshwater fish in South America. Learn what else makes these animals unique.
These massive fish have a distinctive feeding strategy—they “vacuum” their meals
A supersized salamander recently debuted at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Reptile Discovery Center. Get the scoop on these freshwater giants from keeper Kyle Miller.
Japanese giant salamanders breathe through their skin, have impossibly small eyes
Waddle along with Small Mammal House Curator and African Penguin Species Survival Plan coordinator, Steven J. Sarro, as he shares his experiences working with zoos and penguins!
These programs ensure that we have the best genetically diverse populations of each
