Recently, our Great Cats team bid farewell to African lion Amahle, who moved to another zoo to breed. Keeper Katy Juliano shares how Amahle’s mother, Shera, is adjusting in this update.
visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute may have
With their big ears, wide eyes and furry paws, sand cats may look adorable… but they’re quite tough! Sand cats are the only members of the cat family that live exclusively in desert environments. Get to know these hardy felines in this Q&A.
Many desert species—including sand cats—have a variety of physical and behavioral
The Fly River turtle, or pig-nosed turtle, is the last living member of the Carettochelyidae family of turtles. With flipper-like forelegs, webbed hind legs and a shell covered in soft, leathery skin, it is well adapted to aquatic life.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Fly River turtles have gray bodies
See Spot. He’s a little ruby-throated hummingbird with a big personality. Spot is also super smart and has mastered scale training. Learn how Bird House keepers came to weigh him and get tips on attracting hummingbirds to your backyard!
From there, we record the birds’ measurements and keep track of whether they have
Say hello to Ariel! This sweet and social clouded leopard just joined the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s breeding program. She has the smarts to solve puzzle feeders and seems smitten with her beau-to-be, Ta Moon.
They have large paws for gripping branches, specialized anklebones for ease of climbing
Fire-bellied toads, also called bombina, are warty, aquatic toads with bright orange or red undersides. These gregarious frogs are native to China and Russia.
Males, unlike females, also have nuptial pads on the first and second fingers.
In March and April, keepers at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, celebrated the arrival of two male kiwi chicks! Get to know them in this update from the bird team.
Both chicks have yet to receive their official names, so here they’re referred to
A small bird with a loud song, the ovenbird is a migratory songbird that passes through much of North America in the spring and fall.
They have white underparts with black streaks on the chest, similar to the wood thrush
The Smallwood’s anole is a green lizard with blue spots. It is native to Cuba, where it spends time hunting the trees for insects, grubs and frogs.
They are typically deep-green and may have blue spots.
Red-rumped agoutis are members of the rodent family similar in appearance to Guinea pigs, but larger and with longer legs. Endemic to South America, they are the only mammals within their native range able to open the husk of a Brazil nut, which makes them vital to the region’s ecosystem.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Red-rumped agoutis have coarse
