Baby Animals

His eyes are still closed, which is normal. Cubs’ eyes generally open when they are 6 to 8 weeks old.

Panda Cub Is Growing Cuter and a Little More Black and White (Video)

The National Zoo releases another video of the ten-day-old cub

The male panda cub (upper right) is now 4.9 ounces, having gained almost a full ounce in the last 72 hours. The cub was sired by Tian Tian by artificial insemination.

It's a Boy! The Panda Cub Was Fathered by the National Zoo's Tian Tian (Video)

Zoo scientists say that their newly developed genetic test determined the sex of the panda

The smaller of the two twin panda cubs has died.

Updated: One of the National Zoo's Panda Cubs Has Died

The Zoo announced on August 26 that the smaller of its newborn twin panda cubs has died

Making a historic record—only the third time in the United States—Mei Xiang delivers twins.

Breeding Pandas Is Incredibly Hard

The National Zoo's newborn panda twins are practically miracles.

The smallest cub, which weighed just 86 grams at birth, is seen here being hand-reared with bottle formula feedings.

Panda Update: Giant Panda Mom Mei Xiang Won't Exchange Care of Cubs

Smaller cub is receiving infant formula and fluids from Zoo veterinarians

Veterinarians detected what they believe is a developing giant panda fetus in an ultrasound procedure on giant panda Mei Xiang. Based on the size of the fetus, which is about four centimeters, officials say that Mei Xiang could give birth early next week, or possibly in early September.

Panda Cub (Or Is It Bamboo?) Detected in Mei Xiang's Ultrasound

Breeding pandas is complicated and frustrating. The Zoo's female Giant Panda has delivered two healthy cubs in the past ten years

Does she look like she would enjoy being jabbed with a needle? Conservationists have used assassin bugs to test the blood female Iberian lynx, like the mother picture above with her cubs, for pregnancy.

How Do You Give an Iberian Lynx a Pregnancy Test? Use an Assassin Bug

Researchers used the insects to keep tabs on population growth in the threatened species

A Group of Endangered Orcas Has Gotten Busy Making Babies

Southern Resident killer whales have been on the decline, but new babies bring hope for the future

Rehabilitated sea lion pups head back to the ocean after being released from The Marine Mammal Center in March.

California Sea Lions Are Starving, But Do They Need Our Help?

Instead of just rehabilitating the fuzzy pups, some ecologists say we should be focusing on the underlying troubles of climate change and fish declines

Baby bald eagles are pretty cute for being tiny raptors. See Pennsylvania's new pair by tuning in to the live stream of their nest.

Watch Two of the World’s Newest Bald Eagles in the Nest

Sneak a peek into a bald eagle abode where the next fine-feathered generation just emerged

Funani, mother of the new baby hippo, is shown here in 2003 with one of her previous offspring. The new calf isn't quite so rotund yet.

Perfectly Pudgy Newborn Hippo Arrives at the San Diego Zoo

Welcome to the world, tiny, adorable river horse!

Skiing toward the breaking waves on a slush-covered beach.

How "Slurpee" Waves Formed Along a Nantucket Beach

New England's record cold created the perfect conditions for waves of slush, offering an unusual opportunity to ski on the beach

Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) fight. Infanticide in baboons is driven by a mating structure built on male competition.

Why Some Mammals Kill Babies of Their Own Kind

Male mammals that commit infanticide developed the behavior in response to their species' mating style

Nicole MacCorkle, a giant panda keeper at Smithsonian's National Zoo, says the animals have taught her about parenting.

What Giant Pandas Taught Me About Parenting

When animal keeper Nicole MacCorkle became a parent, she looked to Bao Bao's mother for inspiration

A carrion beetle fossil from the Cretaceous period.

Carrion Beetles Were the First Caring Parents

Flesh-eating beetles that lived 125 million years ago set the stage for modern parenting

How Does Bao Bao Celebrate Her Birthday? With Cake, Bamboo and Hundreds of Fans

The National Zoo hosted a traditional Chinese ceremony for the giant panda’s first birthday

Celebrate Bao Bao's Birthday With a Party and This Recap of Her First Year

Hot off her recent win in the Smithsonian Summer Showdown, D.C.'s favorite panda celebrates her first birthday on August 23

A group of baby pandas born in China last year

Baby Panda Triplets Born In Chinese Zoo

At 15 days old, the panda cubs are still vulnerable, but are doing well so far

Papa Mongooses Learn Not to Try So Hard When Raising Babies

If father mongooses push themselves to extremes raising young, then they won't work as hard the next time around

Children were asked to rate how cute they found each of the images to be.

Even Toddlers Recognize the Superior Cuteness of Puppies and Kittens

Our notion of cuteness might be hardwired rather than learned

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