American wigeons are small ducks that are equally at home on land and in the water. Loud, gregarious and distinctive, more than 2.5 million wigeons live in North America.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Compact ducks, male wigeons have
What animal can rotate its head 180 degrees, has ears that function like satellites and marks its territory (and members of its social group) with urine? Meet our southern lesser galago brothers, Mopani and Damara!
The pair arrived in February and have settled into their new digs at the Small Mammal
Guinea pigs are rodents that were first domesticated in 5,000 B.C. The domesticated species, Cavia porcellus, is most likely derived from the Andean Cavia tschudii (or montane guinea pig), found in Peru, highland Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, and northeastern Chile.
Guinea pigs have no tails.
The secret to salamanders’ survival may be in their slimy secretions. Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute are swabbing salamanders in Shenandoah, looking for disease-fighting microbes that live in the mucus on their skin.
susceptible to chytrid, while others may come into contact with the fungus and have
The ruddy turnstone is a short legged, chunky sandpiper with an extensive wintering range. Turnstones are known for sticking their bills under stones, pebbles and shells, and flipping them over to find food.
Nonbreeding adults have a brown feather pattern.
The sliminess on amphibians is more than just goop—it’s how these animals survive. A scientist and intern from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation Genomics explains.
Have you ever wondered what the difference between a reptile and amphibian is?
This peculiar-looking canine uses its exceptional hearing to hunt for termites and beetles — here are some more fun facts about the species.
Notably, they have exceptionally large ears, making them look almost like giant bats
Native to the rocky slopes and arid plateau areas of southwestern Africa, Hartmann’s mountain zebras are large herbivores known for their black and white-striped coats. Hartmann’s mountain zebras are a rare subspecies of the mountain zebra, which is one of three types of zebras.
They have long faces and necks, barrel-shaped chests, strong legs and pointed hooves
As a research assistant for the nutrition laboratory, Jenna Pastel wears a snowsuit year-round. That’s because she spends a lot of time in a -20 degree Fahrenheit walk-in freezer located in the Zoo’s science building.
Image: I love animals and have always cared about conservation.
Join us in wishing a very happy hatchday to our Komodo dragon, Murphy! Our calm, laid-back lizard turns 25 years old today.
They have a mouth full of 60 serrated, razor-sharp teeth that curve backwards to
