American bison are North America’s largest terrestrial animals. Millions once roamed the grasslands and prairies of the Great Plains, but today the bison population survives primarily in conservation herds.
Both male and female bison have a single set of short, sharply pointed, hollow horns
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.
Ring-tailed lemurs are named for the 13 alternating black and white bands that adorn their tails. Unlike most other lemurs, ringtails spend 40 percent of their time on the ground, moving quadrupedally along the forest floor.
They have white bellies.
Built for speed, the cheetah can accelerate from zero to 45 in just 2.5 seconds and reach top speeds of 60 to 70 mph, making it the fastest land mammal! The cheetah’s spotted coat helps it camouflage among the dry grasses of the African savanna where it lives.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Cheetahs have slender, long-legged
National Bison Day is the first Saturday in November and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has a big reason to celebrate these iconic animals! Wallow in the autumn leaves with the Zoo’s bison, Lucy and Gally, and animal keeper Regina Bakely, as she shares her stories and the institution’s history of caring for American bison.
November 04, 2022 How to Care for American Bison Regina Bakely Have you herd?
The spotted turtle is a small species of turtle found near ponds, swamps and streamside habitats in the eastern United States and lower Canada. They are recognizable for the yellow polka-dot pattern covering their bodies.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Spotted pond turtles have a brown
As the primate team celebrates Moke’s second birthday, keeper Alex Reddy reflects on the western lowland gorilla’s growing independence, bold personality and training triumphs.
Moke will investigate aspects of his habitat that other gorillas have not visited
In March, we celebrated two pygmy slow loris births! Now, the bright-eyed babies are getting braver and exploring their exhibit.
They have been growing up so fast!
Standing eye-to-eye with a southern cassowary, it is easy to see how this giant bird is considered the dinosaurs’ closest living relative. In October 2020, we took two of these avian ambassadors under our wing: brothers Irwin and Dundee.
They do not, but they have some seriously amazing defense mechanisms in place.
