Happy National Veterinary Technician Week! At the Zoo, vet techs play a major role in keeping our animals healthy.
In our Wildlife Health Sciences program, I have the wonderful opportunity to teach
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
The panda team has started seeing more pronounced behavioral changes in Mei Xiang, which is normal and expected for a pregnant or pseudopregnant giant panda. Overall, she is spending more time sleeping and is less responsive to the keepers.
the morning, but lately she has been sleeping in, only rousing after the keepers have
The New Caledonian gecko is the largest known gecko species and grows to lengths of about 14 inches. When threatened, the New Caledonian gecko can detach (and later regenerate) its tail.
They are a sexually dimorphic species; males tend to have a broader head and more
As global biodiversity rapidly declines, Smithsonian scientists are pioneering new methods of fish specimen collection, cryopreservation and banking.
Cryopreservation techniques have long been used in agriculture and conservation.
As 2019 comes to a close, we’re continuing to reflect on some of this year’s biggest conservation success stories.
We have an opportunity to take action on behalf of birds, and together, we can help
Focus on the Future is a series that seeks to highlight the early career scientists who conduct research at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Learn about undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral fellows, and the conservation research they are supporting through first-hand accounts and stories.
& Conservation Biology Institute If someone had told me 10 years ago, I would have
Leaf-tailed geckos are nocturnal, forest-dwelling lizards endemic to Madagascar and its oceanic islands. Their bodies are long and flattened, and they are known for their leaf-like tails.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Leaf-tailed geckos have long,
She’s a sweet-natured, eager explorer with a taste for juicy wax worms. Meet Chiquita, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s new tamandua!
With such a specialized diet, tamanduas have some unique adaptations for eating.
Tracking an animal’s weight is an important part of animal care, but gazelles are known to be flighty and nervous. So, how do keepers convince them to step onto a scale? Find out in this update from keeper Sarah Rezac.
Image: We have all seen the videos — a slender, long-limbed antelope lowers her
