‚Hoppy‘ Amphibian Awareness Week! All week long, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will be sharing stories about amazing amphibians and the scientists working to save them from extinction.
Have you ever wondered what the difference between a reptile and amphibian is?
Slow down with Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s three southern two-toed sloths. Keeper Kara Ingraham works with Athena and Vlad in the Small Mammal House, and keeper Denny Charlton tends to Howie in Amazonia. Find out what it takes to care for these unique animals!
Kara: I have always loved animals and grew up dreaming of saving the rainforest.
Keepers can learn a lot about an animal’s needs just by monitoring its weight. But how do you weigh a wiggly ferret or get a full-grown elephant onto a scale? Find out in this update from primate keeper Erin Stromberg.
The scale is built into the base of a protective elephant chute, which keepers have
Exciting news! When giant panda Mei Xiang left the den Sept. 13 to eat some bamboo, the panda team was able to retrieve her 3-week-old cub for its first neonatal exam.
appear similar at birth, so this is the most accurate way to determine whether we have
Scientists works with partners in Paraguay to research and develop best practices for managing protected areas with healthy wildlife populations.
Rapid expansion of agriculture, urban development and livestock production have resulted
This brilliantly-colored orange and black songbird has a clear, flute-like whistle that varies based on the individual. Common in forests and fields in eastern North America during spring and summer. Females build bag-shaped nests that hang from tall, leafy trees.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Males and females have different
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.
Shoveler Ducklings For the first time since 1908, northern shoveler ducklings have
We’ve answered some of the most-searched questions about ostriches to get you better acquainted with these big, flightless birds.
Scientists have seen ostriches run continuously at speeds of 30-37 mph and sprint
Meerkats are active carnivores that live in burrows in Africa. These social animals live in groups, called mobs, with as many as 30 individuals that keep watch and scare off predators or other meerkats.
Description A member of the mongoose family, meerkats (also known as suricates) have
A special delivery of cheetah milk recently arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s milk bank (the largest milk repository in the world). Find out what researchers hope to learn from this unique milk sample.
Izzy was also raised by keepers, and they have spent years training her to voluntarily
