News

Did you know: the Amazon milk frog has special toe pads on its feet to help them climb plants. They're so strong they can hold up to 14 times the animal's body weight! Check out even more fun facts about milk frogs.

The Zoo’s 31-year-old male harbor seal, Squeegee, died shortly after a diagnostic medical exam Feb. 1. American Trail keepers had been monitoring Squeegee closely for several weeks after he presented with blood in his urine.

A geriatric female tufted deer died at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) Feb. 2. The 24-year-old tufted deer named Morticia had been treated for cataracts and mobility issues during the past several years but recently had not responded to medications.

Why do clouded leopards seem to have a tough time reproducing outside of their natural habitat? As wild populations continue to dwindle, conservation scientists are working against the clock to find successful artificial insemination methods. Two research biologists—Adrienne Crosier and Pierre...

In the early morning hours Jan. 21, American Trail keepers welcomed a fifth seal to the colony! For the past two weeks, the female pup has been bonding with mom, Kara, in an off-exhibit area and growing quickly. Get the scoop on our newest baby from assistant curator Rebecca Sturniolo in this Q&A.

Love is in the air for the Zoo’s Sumatran tigers, Sparky and Damai! Their relationship, says keeper Dell Guglielmo, has been blossoming ever since the pair was introduced last September.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s female bobcat, Ollie—who escaped—received a medical exam this afternoon. She spent the night in the Zoo’s veterinary hospital under observation.

Ollie, the female bobcat at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, was found on Zoo property this afternoon. Photos and video of her and the recovery team at the Zoo's veterinary hospital are now available on Flickr and YouTube for media use.

The Zoo will be holding a press conference in the Bus Lot at 5 p.m. For more about the species, please read the Bobcat page of the Zoo’s website.

A press conference for search updates and general information related to female bobcat Ollie that escaped from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on Monday, January 30, 2017, and has yet to be caught.

The female bobcat, Ollie, who escaped from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo yesterday has not returned to her enclosure. The Zoo received several calls from the public overnight with consistent information indicating she may be in the Zoo’s adjacent Woodley/Cleveland Park neighborhoods. Early this...

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo reports that a female bobcat, Ollie, has escaped her enclosure. There is no imminent danger to Zoo guests or general public. Bobcats are not known to be aggressive to humans. If spotted, call 202-633-7362.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s American Trail team is celebrating the arrival of a female gray seal pup, born Jan. 21 at 12:43 a.m. to mother Kara.

A geriatric black-footed ferret named Capone was humanely euthanized Jan. 19 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI). He was seven years old.

Where and when will the next global health crisis occur? As part of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threat program, PREDICT, scientists in Smithsonian’s Global Health Program are on the ground in Myanmar, training local wildlife biologists on how to answer that very question.

When the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Piedmont grasslands thaw from winter’s frost and transform with spring’s arrival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) researchers and citizen scientists travel the region in pursuit of pollinators and other wildlife. As part of the Virginia...

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientist Michael Power and primate keeper Erin Stromberg discuss the science behind great ape milk in this Q & A.

Join the Smithsonian’s National Zoo for “Bye Bye, Bao Bao,” a series of online and on-site celebratory events to bid a fond farewell to giant panda Bao Bao (BOW-BOW) before she departs for China.

Tracking pacific loons from two breeding populations in Alaska.

Bei Bei is continuing to recover well from his major surgery, and he started eating small amounts of bamboo again a few weeks ago. He now gets several meals of leaf eater biscuits, sweet potatoes and apples, and several bamboo feedings every day. He eagerly consumes all his food—much as he has since...

How big does a “weeble-wobble” have to be to withstand the strength of six female Asian elephants? Over the fall 2016 semester, students at MICA, the Maryland Institute College of Art, sought to answer that question. Collaborating with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s animal care team, they designed...

Calaya is not like the Zoo’s other western lowland gorillas. For months, keepers tried to encourage Calaya to train and participate in enrichment activities to no avail. Then came an “AHA!” moment: Calaya learned best not solely through human interaction, but by observing the actions of the other...

The first three brown kiwi chicks to hatch from eggs laid and incubated at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) have received names. The male chicks are Hari (hatched May 10), Kaha (hatched June 1) and Kake (hatched July 31). In Maori their names translate to “joy,” “strong,” and...

As Bei Bei recovers from surgery, his diet is slowly returning to normal but he still needs to wait until he can eat bamboo. However, he continues to gain weight, and has crossed the 100-pound (45 kilos) mark. While Bei Bei continues his recovery, we have adjusted Mei Xiang’s schedule to ensure that...

Ancient DNA testing has proved the Arctic ground squirrel—believed to have been introduced to Alaska’s Chirikof Island in the early 18 th century—has actually been part of the island ecosystem for at least 2,000 years.