One of the world’s largest land tortoises, Aldabra tortoises can reach sizes of up to 550 pounds and ages of up to 150 years old. They are native to Aldabra Island, one of the Seychelles northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
The males have a concave plastron (belly shell) that aids in mating.
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.
mother Shera and father Luke, the 14-week-old cubs passed their swim test in May and have
September 26 marks 40 years since black-footed ferrets were re-discovered in the wild, kick-starting today’s breeding and reintroduction program. Find out what it takes to care for Zoo Guardians‘ September Animal of the Month and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s black-footed ferrets from animal keeper Vicki Lake!
I have black-footed ferret socks, shirts and ornaments.
Representatives from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute helped lead a Giant Panda Laboratory Diagnostic International Exchange Training workshop with staff from the China Conservation & Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in November.
These workshops have trained veterinary staff from zoos and wild animal parks all
The panda team is still waiting to find out if Mei Xiang will give birth or if she is experiencing a pseudopregnancy. Giant pandas’ hormones and behavior mimic a pregnancy even if they are experiencing a pseudopregnancy.
Keepers and veterinarians have been working with Mei Xiang to make her comfortable
The gray wolf, also called the timber wolf, is the largest member of the canine family with fur ranging from gray to brown, black or white. Packs of gray wolves hunt at night, using their speed, sharp teeth and claws to catch caribou, moose, deer, bison, beavers, rabbits and fish.
Gray wolves are highly adaptable and have been known to survive in all habitats in
Bird keeper Wesley Bailey shares an update on the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s success breding brown kiwi.
If you have followed my fellow keeper Erica Royer’s updates, you already know that
What does it take to care for a baby that weighs a mere 40 grams at birth? Biologist Kenton Kerns gives the scoop on raising the tiny tots in our latest keeper Q&A.
Since she doesn’t have many relatives in the North American fennec fox population
During the past several weeks, Bei Bei has been experiencing some gastrointestinal discomfort which has caused him to pass several mucous stools and loose stools.
formed stool and they are not uncommon in giant pandas—though Bei Bei seems to have
Smithsonian scientists are investigating EEHV, a virus that impacts Asian elephants.
human and veterinary medicine, whole blood and concentrated blood-derived products have
