Press Release Archive

Reptile Discovery Center keepers mourn the loss of 26-year-old male Komodo dragon Murphy who died Dec. 23, 2024.

American Trail keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are mourning the loss of Gunther, a 33-year-old male gray seal who died Jan. 18.

Tiny tracking devices are being used by researchers to monitor the behavior and movements of black-footed ferrets that were reintroduced into the wild.

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao made their public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute today.

Primate staff are mourning the loss of Kyle, a 28-year-old male Bornean orangutan who died Jan. 10.

On Jan. 24, giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao will make their public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

In the event of a government shutdown, our museums, research centers, and the National Zoo will remain OPEN through at least Thursday, Dec. 26. Please note that we are closed on Dec. 25.

The Zoo is home to two world-famous pandas who are symbols of conservation. View and download a gallery of Qing Bao and Bao Li images and video files.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute community is mourning the loss of Kamala, beloved member of its Asian elephant herd and ambassador for her species.

Find comprehensive resources for media on the giant panda program at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) Tuesday, Oct. 15

Washington, D.C.’s beloved family-friendly winter wonderland, ZooLights, returns to brighten the holiday season.

A new study shows environmental conditions in migratory birds’ winter homes affect their ability to survive the rest of the year.

Kiwi feathers collected from across the U.S. and Europe will soon be heading home in a repatriation effort between the U.S. and New Zealand.

Conservation partnership advances the establishment of the first wild population in more than 30 years

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has been awarded a five-year accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

David M. Rubenstein has pledged $10 million toward the Zoo’s $25 million campaign to fund the giant panda conservation program.

A recently published study sheds light on the ecological importance of red-backed salamanders in the northeastern United States. The article, published in the journal Biology Letters, revealed the amphibians’ densities and biomass across the region were much higher than expected, with a great...

It’s no trick, only the sweetest treat: Boo at the Zoo, sponsored by Mars Wrigley Confectionery, and the Zoo’s 21+ spooktacular cocktail party, Night of the Living Zoo, are back at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian scientists are exploring a radical effort to preserve and safeguard biological samples from important and at-risk species inside the cold craters of the Moon.

Smithsonian ecologist Ellen Welti was awarded the Frontiers Planet Prize for her work on the halted recovery of European freshwater biodiversity.

A groundbreaking new initiative will address the question of how improvements in the environment and health are financed in 21st-century African landscapes.

Staff are mourning the loss of 19-year-old female California sea lion, who was euthanized June 27.

A new study warns that increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere may decrease the nutrient contents of plants and could cause further population declines farther up the ecological chain.