Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute We are a leader in animal care, science, education, & sustainability. Welcome to our page!

Please feel free to share thoughts about our posts, ask us questions, or tell us about your visit. We hope you’ll contribute to this interactive forum and to our ongoing conversation about the work we do to provide engaging experiences with our living collection and to ultimately save species. While on-topic discussion is encouraged, we ask that you express yourself in a civil manner and treat other users with respect. The Smithsonian also monitors and may remove posts consistent with its terms of use, as described at http://si.edu/Termsofuse -gen. The Smithsonian may archive materials posted on this website pursuant to its document retention policies. By posting content, you are giving the Smithsonian and those authorized by the Smithsonian permission to use or modify it for any educational, promotional, or other standard museum purpose, in media of all kinds whether now known or later developed.

Born to parents Keahi and Rocket at the Zoo's conservation campus in Front Royal, Virginia, in June, this female cub has...
10/11/2026

Born to parents Keahi and Rocket at the Zoo's conservation campus in Front Royal, Virginia, in June, this female cub has distinguished herself with bold and feisty behavior. Our animal care team have provided three possible names for her, but we need your help us choose!

🎤 Dolly - inspired by country music legend, Dolly Parton
🔥 Pyra - meaning "heat" in Greek
🌏 Dolpa - a region of Nepal that is home to wild red pandas and where the AZA's SAFE Red Panda program is actively working to conserve these amazing animals.

Head to https://s.si.edu/4zol9YR to cast your vote to determine this cub's name!

Photo credits: Brooke McDonough, Smithsonian (1) and Jess Kordell, Smithsonian (2, 3)

10/10/2026

Happy World Migratory Bird Day! 🐦🌎☕
Your morning coffee can help protect habitat for migratory birds. Smithsonian Bird Friendly® certified coffee is grown in ways that conserve forests, native shade trees, and biodiversity—creating healthier landscapes for birds, wildlife, and people. 🌿

This World Migratory Bird Day, make your cup count. Choose coffee that helps keep forests thriving and gives migratory birds a place to land. 💚☕

🇪🇸 ¡Feliz Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias! 🐦🌎☕
Tu café de la mañana puede ayudar a proteger el hábitat de las aves migratorias. El café certificado Smithsonian Bird Friendly® se cultiva de una manera que conserva los bosques, los árboles nativos de sombra y la biodiversidad. 🌿

Este Día Mundial de las Aves Migratorias, haz que tu taza cuente. Elige un café que ayude a mantener los bosques prósperos y ofrezca a las aves migratorias un lugar donde aterrizar. 💚☕

Carnivore keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are delighted to announce the bir...
10/09/2026

Carnivore keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are delighted to announce the birth of five healthy cheetah cubs on October 5, 2026. The cubs and their mother, 5-year-old Zura, are healthy, strong and active, keepers say.

The group is living in the off-campus research facility in Front Royal, Virginia, about an hour’s drive from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Even though the cubs will not be on view to the public, virtual visitors can tune in to the live Cheetah Cub Cam to keep up with the family.

Zura’s litter of five offers hope for a predator at risk of extinction, as well as a significant milestone in the Smithsonian’s cheetah conservation program. Hers is the 21st litter of cubs born at SCBI since 2007, a significant achievement for a species that is difficult to breed in human care.

To learn more about Zura and her cubs, visit https://s.si.edu/47Lz9Qs or watch the cam live at https://s.si.edu/48rXwSD.

Photo credit: Cheetah Cub Cam, Smithsonian.

10/08/2026

It's snack time at the National Zoo! Join our free virtual early education field trip TODAY from 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm ET to learn all about different animal diets. Register now at https://s.si.edu/46XGAnt

10/07/2026

The meerkats at the Small Mammal House — Frankie, Sadie, Archie, Felix, Oscar, Louie and Scout — got a taste of Halloween this week. Keepers gave the animals jack-o'-lanterns and witches' cauldrons to play and interact with. In autumn, the Zoo places pumpkins in a variety of habitats as a way for the animals to stay active, healthy and engaged with their surroundings.

Looking for more ways to get into the Halloween spirit? Boo at the Zoo returns this October with trick-or-treating, after-hours animal viewing and frightful fun for the whole family. Get your tickets at https://s.si.edu/3yTGdg4

10/05/2026

Do your kiddos ever act like Zahra, our 3-year-old Western lowland gorilla, right before snack time? Discover what she and her family love to eat at our next FREE early education virtual field trip this Thursday, Oct. 8th, from 2:00 to 2:30 pm ET.

Register now: https://s.si.edu/46XGAnt

🎃 TWO WEEKS until Boo at the Zoo! The countdown is on—and some nights are almost sold out! Don’t miss your chance to cel...
10/02/2026

🎃 TWO WEEKS until Boo at the Zoo!

The countdown is on—and some nights are almost sold out! Don’t miss your chance to celebrate Halloween with us, sponsored by .

🍬 Trick-or-treat at 25+ treat stations
👻 Discover spooky skeleton scenes
🐾 See animals enjoy Halloween-themed enrichment
💃 Dance the night away at our kids dance party

And, of course, come dressed in your Halloween best!

📅 October 16–18
⏰ Members enter at 5 p.m.; public entry begins at 6 p.m.

🎟️ Tickets are going fast. Get yours now before your preferred night disappears: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/events/boo-zoo

🐐 Get ready to have a goat-ally awesome time at World Farm Animal Day! On Saturday, Oct. 3, join us at Kids’ Farm from 1...
10/02/2026

🐐 Get ready to have a goat-ally awesome time at World Farm Animal Day! On Saturday, Oct. 3, join us at Kids’ Farm from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as we celebrate the Zoo’s cows, alpacas, kunekune pigs, miniature donkeys, Nigerian dwarf goats and chickens.

Enjoy free special activities, including:
• 👩‍⚕️🩺 Talk one-on-one with keepers, veterinarians and nutritionists, and learn how they work together to care for our farm animals.
• 🎉🐂 Share your moo-velous birthday wishes with Willow, our sweet Hereford heifer.
• 🤔 Wondering which farm animal you’re most like? Take our quiz to find out!
• 📚 Tune-in to amazing animal tales at the 10:30 a.m., Noon, and 1 p.m. story times.
…and more!

Farm animals enrich all our lives in many ways. They are not only charismatic but also critically important to communities all over the world. They support the livelihoods of people, provide us with nutritious food and make sweet companions.

We hope that meeting our animal ambassadors and learning what it takes to care for them gives visitors a deeper appreciation for farm animals everywhere!

🎫 VISIT | Get your free entry pass at nationalzoo.si.edu/visit.

Photo by Nikki Maticic/Smithsonian

10/01/2026

This International Coffee Day, we're celebrating the producers who grow delicious coffee. We are also celebrating their dedication to protecting birds and important habitat on their farms.
☕
Every time you drink Bird Friendly, you're showing your support for those producers and the birds they protect.
🦜🐦‍⬛🦇🪲🐒


En este Día Internacional del Café, celebramos a los productores que cultivan un café delicioso. También celebramos su dedicación a proteger a las aves y los hábitats importantes en sus fincas.
☕
Cada vez que consumes café con certificación Bird Friendly, demuestras tu apoyo a esos productores y a las aves que ellos protegen.
🦜🐦‍⬛🦇🪲🐒

🐼🏀 Putting our paws together 🐾 for the Washington Mystics as they take on the Atlanta Dream tonight. Good luck in the pl...
09/30/2026

🐼🏀 Putting our paws together 🐾 for the Washington Mystics as they take on the Atlanta Dream tonight. Good luck in the playoffs, Mystics!

Photo by Roshan Patel/Smithsonian.

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