Always free of charge, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of Washington D.C.’s, and the Smithsonian’s, most popular tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors from all over the world each year. The Zoo instills a lifelong commitment to conservation through engaging experiences with animals and the people working to save them.
July 2020 Grab a delicious snack with prehensile-tailed porcupine Quilliam, have
Here at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, the carnivore team is gearing up for a very special arrival: cheetah cubs! As one of 10 facilities in the Cheetah Breeding Center Coalition, we study the behavior, biology, health and reproduction of these rare cats.
Here at SCBI, we have 26 individuals, which is a large population.
Golden-headed lion tamarins are named for their thick, golden manes. These endangered animals live only in Brazil and, like many tamarin species, are tree-dwelling, fruit-eating primates.
Like other tamarins and marmosets, golden-headed lion tamarins have non-opposable
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.
Both salamanders and frogs secrete peptides from their skin that have antimicrobial
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?
One of most common bird species in North America, American robins can be heard singing their cheerful melody in diverse habitats, from deep forest interiors, to rural pastures, to city parks and backyard gardens. They are thought of as the „bringers of spring,“ due to the species‘ reputation for flying south for the winter and traveling northward during the springtime.
Adults have dark gray or black heads, gray backs and wings, and bright reddish-brown
Giant anteaters are the largest of the four anteater species, reaching lengths of 6-8 feet. They are native to Central and South America, where they feed on tiny termites and ants using their 2-foot-long tongue, which can flick in and out up to 150 times per minute.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Giant anteaters have a
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 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.
Since her birth last May, our baby western lowland gorilla, Zahra, has grown and changed so much. Read the latest #GorillaStory update from keeper Carly Hornberger.
Over the last couple months, I have really enjoyed developing a relationship with
