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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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Meet the Cute, Rare and Remarkable Babies Born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo This Spring

Get the stories behind the new arrivals.

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Linh Mai Inspires a New Era for the Zoo’s Elephant Cam

With the return of the Zoo’s Elephant Cam, a group of trained volunteers are helping chronicle the daily lives of Asian elephants.

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See How the Animals Enjoyed a Snowy Week at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

While the Zoo was closed, staff members captured some rare scenes of the animals experiencing the falling snow.

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The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Welcomes Two Sloth Bear Cubs

The tiny cubs, currently off-exhibit, are expected to debut in Spring 2026.

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How Human Health Technology Is Improving Orangutan Welfare at the National Zoo

Redd’s daily treatment reveals how orangutans with chronic respiratory diseases are adapting to use certain medical tools designed for humans.

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The Animal Care Stories That Shaped 2025 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

We’ve gift-wrapped a few short highlights that capture the spirit of the year in animal care.

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Bao Li, Qing Bao and the Secrets of Summer Panda Life at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

How are the giant pandas spending their first summer in Washington, D.C.? And what’s changed since they arrived nine months ago? Keeper Mariel Lally explains.

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Checking In on the Foals: New Arrivals at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Behind the scenes, Smithsonian care teams welcomed four animal babies from three imperiled species: Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Przewalski’s horse, and Persian onager.

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Young Pandas Seem ‘Very Interested In Each Other’, Say Keepers at National Zoo

Bleats and chirps between two giant pandas are a sure sign that flirtatious feelings are in the air! Read all about the 'bears and the bleats' in this update from the Zoo's panda keeper team.

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Why Do Shorebirds Stand on One Leg?

It's a question visitors ask staff all the time at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Bird House. The answer may surprise you!

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How Are Animals Paired at the National Zoo?

Get ready for Valentine’s Day by learning how zoo matchmakers use science to “swipe right” for conservation.

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Meet Vostok, the National Zoo's New Amur Tiger

The 2-year-old male tiger is now at home with the other residents of the Great Cats exhibit. Get the facts on how animal care teams helped this endangered animal adjust to his new surroundings.

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How Can You Tell the National Zoo's Giant Pandas Apart?

The Smithsonian's National Zoo's two giant pandas look quite similar to the untrained eye. Animal keeper Mariel Lally offers some tips you can use to spot the difference!

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See How the Pandas (And Other Animals) Enjoyed a Chilly Snow Day

Several inches of snowfall kept the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute closed to visitors this week. But the animals and their caretakers still had a good time!

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Read Some of the National Zoo’s Most Amazing Animal Stories of 2024

Enjoy a look back at some incredible and heartwarming stories about the Smithsonian National Zoo's animals and the people who care for them.

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To Keep the National Zoo’s Pandas Satisfied, Staff Prepare an Endless Supply of Bamboo

Take a look behind the scenes as animal care teams provide a daily bamboo buffet to the Zoo's new giant pandas.

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Inside the Zoo: A Rare and Life-Preserving Cheetah Surgery

With the help of 3D modeling technology, a team of veterinary experts successfully carried out a rare spinal surgery on an 11-month-old cheetah cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in August.

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How to Perform a Black-Footed Ferret Health Exam

The ferret kits at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute's breeding facility in Front Royal, Va., just passed their 90-day health check with flying colors.

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Body by Bugs: Feeding the Zoo's Insect-Eating Animals

They're nutritious, affordable, and always in demand. Learn how staffers prepare and deliver thousands of bugs each week to the animals living at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

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Inside the Zoo: How Staff Rallied for an Abandoned Baby Monkey

When the Zoo's newest Allen's swamp monkey was rejected by his mother after birth, a team of staffers stepped up to care for the infant while he was young.

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