There’s plenty to see this summer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Check out five amazing things you won’t want to miss during your next visit.
transition from their behind-the-scenes cubbing den to the outdoor yards, where they have
Scientists identify best practices for reintroduction of endangered and extinct amphibians in a new publication.
limosus has been threatened by the deadly chytrid fungus, which is believed to have
This eye-catching shorebird is native to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the Americas. True to its name, the American oystercatcher feeds on oysters, saltwater mollusks, shellfish and other marine invertebrates, using its thick red bill to jab at shelled prey and pluck the contents from within.
Adults have long, thick, pointed beaks that are reddish-orange in color.
It looks like the angriest housecat you’ve ever seen, but it’s actually the Pallas’s cat: a small Asian wildcat known for its thick fur and unusual face.
Pallas’s cats have the densest fur of any cat in the world.
The plain chachalaca is a long-tailed bird that lives in North and Central America, spanning from Texas to Costa Rica. Distantly related to chickens and turkeys, these birds are named after their unique call, which sounds like „cha-cha-LAW-ka“.
They have small heads, bare legs, and tails with white tips.
Put your senses to the test at the Claws and Paws Pathway! Follow your nose to the binturongs, who smell like buttered popcorn, and keep your eyes peeled for petite Pallas’s cats hiding in plain sight. Get the scoop on the Zoo’s newest residents from curator Craig Saffoe.
The pair have been together for years, but they have never reproduced.
Hop into caring for and discovering new things about Bennett’s wallabies with animal keeper Esther Wray!
Our wallabies do not seem to mind the cold and I have seen them sitting out in the
There are two new (adorable) kids on the block at American Trail! The team welcomed California sea lion pup Charger and North American beaver Poplar to their new homes at Smithsonian’s National Zoo this past summer.
Sea lions are very social animals and tend to not have a defined hierarchy.
An unseasonably strong storm in fall 2022 stirred up some romance between two Panamanian golden frogs. Now, Reptile Discovery Center keepers are caring for more than 400 of the couple’s golden-hued hatchlings!
Panamanian golden frogs have very smooth skin, similar to dart frogs.
Dr. Pierre Comizzoli is a reproductive cryobiologist at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
Our two pandas at the Zoo, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, have never successfully bred
