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Two pig-like animals stand in front of a fence
September 03, 2026

8 Reasons Why Zoo Staff Think the Chacoan Peccary Might Be Your New Favorite Animal ›

Two animal care experts share why this new species might become your next obsession.

A close-up portrait of Asian elephant calf Linh Mai's face. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
August 28, 2026

Look Back At Linh Mai’s Most Memorable Moments As She Turns 7 Months Old ›

Seven months ago, the world fell in love with a little Asian elephant named Linh Mai. As she turns 7 months old, we're taking a look back at her most memorable moments.

Two men stand in a green field with a forest in the background
August 24, 2026

Meet the Retirees Turning Their Farms Into Wildlife Corridors ›

As habitat fragmentation threatens Virginia's wildlife, two retired neighbors are turning their farms into biodiversity havens backed by Smithsonian science.

Image of baby elephant Linh Mai in a yellow and orange flower shaped mask. The words Tickets on Sale Now and October 16, 17, and 18 appear on a black background alongside the words Boo at the Zoo.
August 20, 2026

Two Ticketed Halloween Celebrations at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute ›

Halloween traditions return to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute this October with two wildly popular after-hours events: Boo at the Zoo, sponsored by Mars, Incorporated, and Night of the Living Zoo.

Gloved hands hold two fuzzy red panda cubs
August 18, 2026

Three Adorable Red Panda Cubs Born This Summer at the Zoo’s Front Royal Campus ›

“The cubs are really just balls of fur that eat and sleep right now,” said Jessica Kordell, assistant curator of carnivores.

A big eyed newborn oryx calf cradled by a zookeeper
August 14, 2026

How Smithsonian Science Is Helping the Scimitar-Horned Oryx Recover — and Thrive ›

Once pushed to the brink of extinction, the oryx is becoming one of conservation's most inspirational stories.

A box turtle perched atop a plastic cup with a tracker glued to its shell
August 14, 2026

How X-Rays, Plastic Cups and Spools of String Help National Zoo Researchers Find Wild Box Turtle Nests ›

To find out why Eastern box turtles are declining across Virginia, Smithsonian staff are getting creative.

Side profile of a hellbender with slimy orange and green skin
August 06, 2026

11 Fascinating Facts About the Hellbender, North America’s Largest Amphibian ›

Hiding in Appalachia’s cool mountain streams is one impressively large salamander.

A panda surveys her surroundings from atop a fallen log.
August 06, 2026

Giant Panda Program Media Resources ›

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

Giant panda Bao Li enjoys his shark-themed birthday cake on Aug. 4, 2026, at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
August 04, 2026

Happy 5th Birthday, Bao Li ›

Giant panda Bao Li celebrated turning 5 years old with a shark-themed birthday bash, complete with a fruitsicle "cake" and boat buoy enrichment.

Close up photo of a Hawaiian honeycreeper, known as `Akiapōlā`au or Hemignathus monroi. The bird is small and most yellow, with brown feathers on its back and a long, curved black beak.
August 03, 2026

Smithsonian Scientists Resolve the Hawaiian Honeycreeper Family Tree ›

Smithsonian researchers have identified the genetic relationships among all the Hawaiian honeycreeper species that were known to exist since the arrival of Europeans to the islands.

Two bat-eared fox kits emerge from their den on a sunny day May 28, 2026. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
July 31, 2026

Peek Inside Our Bat-eared Fox Family’s Den ›

Feast your eyes on our frisky bat-eared fox kits—the first born here in 75 years—in this keeper Q&A!

Bird House keeper Isabella Dangler holds a duckling in her hands. (Brett Kuxhausen/Smithsonian)
July 17, 2026

Happy National Zookeeper Week 2026 ›

Join us in celebrating the dedicated professionals who care for our animal ambassadors!

Asian elephant calf Linh Mai (foreground) is seen in her outdoor habitat with aunties Swarna (back-left) and Bozie (back-right). (Brett Kuxhausen/Smithsonian)
July 17, 2026

Asian Elephant Calf Linh Mai Takes Her First Swim, Showing Off Her Pachyderm Paddle ›

Look who’s learning to “elephant paddle!” Linh Mai, our 5-month-old Asian elephant calf, reached a major milestone this week: baby’s first swim!

A colony of flamingos and their fuzzy grey chicks
July 17, 2026

Practical Tips for Anyone Currently Raising Nine Flamingo Chicks at the Same Time ›

Flamingo parenting comes with plenty of surprises. Bird House curator Sara Hallager explains.

A fuzzy sloth bear cub standing in grass.
July 15, 2026

Sloth Bear Cubs ‘Osborn’ and ‘Champa’ Are Now on Public View at the Smithsonian's National Zoo ›

We could hardly "bear" the wait. A shaggy pair of sloth bear cubs have officially made their Zoo debut.

Red wolf in freshly fallen snow
July 14, 2026

We Can Freeze Human Reproductive Cells. Can We Do the Same for Red Wolves? ›

With only a few hundred red wolves left, Smithsonian scientist Jennifer Nagashima is pioneering new ways to preserve their genetic diversity.

A bald eagle displays its sharp hooked beak
July 02, 2026

How Well Do You Know America’s Bird? 9 Fascinating Facts About the Bald Eagle ›

It's on our currency, our seals, and in our imagination. But how well do you really know the bald eagle?

Closeup of a fishing cat
June 25, 2026

7 Fascinating Facts About the Fishing Cat, a Wild Cat With an Aquatic Lifestyle ›

Think cats hate water? Learn what makes the fishing cat one of Asia’s most remarkable, and least understood, wild predators.

A vet technician holds a handmade replica of a laser therapy device next to gray seal Kara.
June 18, 2026

Can You Spot the Fakes? These Handmade Vet Tools Help Animals Take Part in Their Own Care ›

Veterinary technician Jo Fujito builds dummy devices that help the National Zoo’s animals practice for medical procedures.

A striped skunk pops out of a burrow
June 10, 2026

The Striped Skunk: America’s Misunderstood Neighbor ›

They're one of North America’s most recognizable animals, but how well do you really know these fascinating creatures?

Baby Asian elephant Linh Mai stands in front of other herd member Swarna in the Smithsonian National Zoo's Elephant Community Center.
June 09, 2026

EleFest Celebrates Elephants, Culture and Conservation at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Aug. 7–9 ›

Visitors can celebrate elephants during EleFest, a three-day festival at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Aug. 7–9.

Brown pelican Frankie. (Roshan Patel/Smithsonian)
June 08, 2026

Meet the Brown Pelican Rescues Stealing Visitors' Hearts ›

Get to know our delightful brown pelican rescues—Eugene, Pippin and Frankie—in this Q&A with keeper Erin Whatley.

Four researchers standing in a damp forest
June 02, 2026

In a Modern Lewis and Clark Adventure, Smithsonian Scientists Are Resurveying a Historic Expedition ›

Smithsonian scientists and partners are retracing Lewis and Clark's journey — with a 21st-century toolkit.

A researcher with blond hair stands in a grassland
May 29, 2026

To Restore Montana’s Prairie Streams, Smithsonian Researchers Are Thinking Like Beavers ›

Smithsonian researcher Maya Rayle is studying whether artificial beaver dams can revive the stream valleys of the Great Plains.